[3][4] The union protested against these waivers, saying that the staffing shortages are the fault of the hospitals, who should have anticipated the surge of cases and increased staff ahead of time.

[5] A California Field Poll in April 2008 found that CNA has the highest favorable rating among all groups, politicians, and institutions involved in public policy debates over health care reform in the state.

[6] On May 9, 2008, the Public Broadcasting Service television show with Bill Moyers featured a segment on CNA/NNOC describing a campaign conducted by the organization saying all Americans should be entitled to the same level of care available to Vice President Dick Cheney and members of Congress.

The Washington Post, November 20, 2010 described "an aggressive strategy by a national nurses union, experts say: Its members are growing in numbers, and they have not been afraid to walk picket lines."

CNA was the first nurses union in the U.S. to win collective bargaining contracts for nurses when Shirley Carew Titus[7] advocated for agreements with the East Bay Hospital Conference for minimum salaries, time-and-a-half pay for overtime, shift differentials for night and weekend work, a 40-hour work week, paid holidays, vacations, and sick leave, and employer-paid health insurance.