Final answer:
The American Nurses Association, founded in the late 1800s, is the professional organization for registered nurses in the United States, promoting high standards of nursing practice and protecting nurses' rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
Founded in the late 1800s, the American Nurses Association (ANA) is a professional organization for registered nurses in the United States. The ANA focuses on advancing the nursing profession by promoting high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on healthcare issues affecting nurses and the public. It is not to be confused with the American Medical Association (AMA), which was established earlier in 1847 and is a professional organization for physicians, not nurses. The confusion may also arise due to similar efforts made by the National Medical Association (NMA), another substantial organization that was created in response to the exclusion of Black physicians from the AMA. The NMA focused on professionalization and standards in the Black medical profession, especially concerning Black hospitals and healthcare providers.