Nursing Leadership, Courage, and Public Trust with Dr. Ernest J. Grant

What is public trust in nurses worth if it does not lead to voice, protection, and authority?

In this episode, Dr. Ernest J. Grant, Clinical Associate Professor and Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Duke University School of Nursing, reflects on a nursing career shaped by bedside care, burn prevention, public policy, and national leadership. He shares how nursing found him, what decades of caring for burn patients taught him about dignity and presence, and why prevention became an extension of bedside care rather than a departure from it. Dr. Grant also discusses volunteering after the September 11 attacks, leading the American Nurses Association during COVID-19, and using nurses' firsthand experiences to advocate for safer working conditions and stronger public-health responses. Looking ahead, he explains why nurses need a meaningful seat at the table, how AI should support rather than replace human care, and why healthcare leaders must mentor the next generation and create safer ways for nurses to speak up.

Tune in to hear why honoring nurses requires more than praise; it requires systems that recognize their expertise, protect their courage, and give them the authority to lead.

About Dr. Ernest J. Grant

Ernest J. Grant, PhD, RN, FADLN, FAAN, is a Clinical Associate Professor and Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Duke University School of Nursing. He is the immediate past president of the American Nurses Association, the nation's largest nurses' organization representing the interests of 5.3 million registered nurses. He was the first man elected president in the organization's 130-year history.

Dr. Grant has more than 30 years of nursing experience and is internationally recognized for his expertise in burn care and fire safety. He also serves as adjunct faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing. His work has included bedside care, professional education, injury prevention, public policy, workforce advocacy, and national nursing leadership.

In 2002, President George W. Bush presented Dr. Grant with a Nurse of the Year Award for his work caring for burn victims from the World Trade Center site. He was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 2011 and designated an Academy Living Legend in 2026, its highest honorary recognition. He earned his BSN from North Carolina Central University and his MSN and PhD from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He has also received honorary doctoral degrees from the University of Wisconsin and Thomas Jefferson University.

Things You'll Learn

Nursing can become a calling through direct experience, mentorship, and the realization that nurses can influence care far beyond a single role or credential.

During major crises, leaders need to listen closely to frontline workers, translate their experiences into action, and advocate for the equipment, information, and protection they need.

Calling nurses heroes is not enough if healthcare systems fail to protect them from unsafe staffing, inadequate resources, violence, and exclusion from decision-making.

Public trust should translate into a meaningful nursing voice in strategy, policy, technology, resource allocation, and the design of patient care.