The International Nursing Knowledge Association (INKA), formerly NANDA International, builds on more than five decades of work dedicated to advancing nursing knowledge and strengthening the clinical reasoning that guides nursing practice.
INKA focuses on assessment-driven, nursing diagnosis-centered nursing knowledge, the clinical judgments nurses make about patient responses to health conditions, and the reasoning used to guide patient care.
This work began in 1973 at the First National Conference on the Classification of Nursing Diagnoses in St. Louis, Missouri. At this historic meeting, nurse scholars and educators recognized the need for a shared professional approach to describing the clinical judgments nurses make when caring for patients.
The conference led to the establishment of the St. Louis University Clearinghouse for Nursing Diagnoses, adoption of the acronym “NANDA,” and the development of regional chapters across the United States that supported the early development and dissemination of nursing diagnosis classification.
In 1982, this work led to the creation of the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA). As participation expanded internationally, the organization became NANDA International, Inc. (NANDA-I) in 2002, reflecting its growing global community of clinicians, educators, researchers, and informaticists.
The name NANDA became widely recognized across the nursing profession. Today it remains an important brand identifier associated with nursing diagnoses and the development of nursing knowledge.
In 2026, the organization adopted the name International Nursing Knowledge Association (INKA) to reflect the broader scope of its work. While the name has evolved, the organization’s purpose remains consistent: strengthening the knowledge that supports nursing practice and advancing the science of nursing worldwide.
