A Unified Vision for Global Neurosurgery — Boston Declaration 2025

Inaugural Global Neuroscience Nurses (GNN) Council was created in 2021 within the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) subsection of Global Neurosurgery Forum, formerly known as Global Neurosurgery Committee. The publication of the 2015 Lancet Commission on Global Surgery highlighted the critical gap in access to basic surgical and anesthesia care, particularly in low-resource settings, where the unmet demand has led to increased morbidity and mortality from otherwise preventable conditions. Despite the evident and growing need for essential surgical services, such program development remained largely absent in global health agendas at the time (Meara et al., 2015). Similarly, the 2016 Bogota declaration (WFNS Congress Bogotá, 2022), served as the first formal initiative charting the state of the Neurosurgical care needs for capacity building, fair, and accessible care (Dewan et al, 2018), and the seeds of the Global Neurosurgery movement were formally planted. Rapid changes in technological advancement, globalization, and healthcare environment calls for action oriented, transformative, and synergistic healthcare models. The Global Neurosurgery movement aimed to address unmet needs of neurosurgical care around the globe, focusing on low-resources environment with an aim to provide timely, accessible, affordable care to all who need it and workforce capacity building (Aukrust & Chen,2023; Park KB, Johnson WD, Dempsey, 2016; Rosseau et al, 2020). In the 10^th year of the Global Surgery Commission Report, the Boston Declaration was held in 2025, which is an unparalleled historical a grassroots initiative serves as a conduit to build the Global Neurosurgical Ecosystem to achieve its objectives and drive the social change worldwide.

The main objectives of the Boston Declaration are to drive a unified vision for the next phase of Global Neurosurgery, propelling the expansion of the Neurosurgical ecosystem to encompass beyond the Neurosurgeons include but not limited to registered nurses (RN), policy makers, governments, industry, rehabilitation professionals, primary care providers, students, Biomedical Engineers and more. It galvanizes decisive undertaking, engagement, and commitments from all major stakeholders, and calls for a creation of a robust, systematic framework to drive enterprise-wide coordination to lead and accelerate transformative Neurosurgical care (Gupta et al, 2024; Thango et al, 2024).

The Boston Declaration with its unprecedented scope and significance provides a road map for progress in Global Neurosurgery with Neuroscience Nurses at the forefront of its delivery and implementation. The Boston Declaration set to achieving its goals by all nations embracing and applying it universally, recognizing diverse national realities, healthcare capacities, and levels of development, while respecting local policies and priorities. Nurses play a pivotal role in achieving these Global Neurosurgical goals and targets, which unite developed and developing countries.

The Boston Declaration 2025 marks a monumental step in the evolution of Global Neurosurgery. As the world unites to address the growing need for accessible, affordable, and quality neurosurgical care, Nurses, especially Neuroscience Nurses, are positioned to be critical drivers of this transformation. Their inclusion in the Boston Declaration is essential for the following reasons:

Nurses are often the first point of contact for patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures. Nurses are the only healthcare providers who are with individuals 24/7, and they are integral to the patient care continuum, from preoperative assessments to postoperative recovery (Inshutiyimana et al, 2025; Savion, Porat, & Shoshanet, 2013). Their involvement in the Boston Declaration ensures that patient-centered care remains at the forefront of the Global Neurosurgical movement.

The Boston Declaration calls for a shift towards accessible and equitable neurosurgical care worldwide, especially in low resource settings (Gupta et al, 2024). Nurses are vital in advocating for and delivering care to underserved populations, ensuring that healthcare delivery is not only available but also equitable. They can actively participate in addressing the unmet needs of populations in both developed and developing nations, bridging gaps in care delivery (Dossey, Rosa, & Beck, 2019).

Neuroscience Nurses play a crucial role in the capacity-building efforts outlined in the Boston Declaration. By contributing their expertise in education, training, and mentorship, Nurses help build a skilled workforce that can meet the growing demand for neurosurgical care, as well as prepare local Nursing leadership and advocacy roles especially in resource-limited environments. Nurses can help lead educational initiatives and develop comprehensive training curriculum taking into account for the local culture and available resources that elevate the global standardization of care.

The Boston Declaration emphasizes the need for transformative, action-oriented, and synergistic healthcare models. Nurses have long been champions of interdisciplinary collaboration, working alongside surgeons, physicians, and other healthcare professionals Their participation in shaping and implementing these models ensures that the care delivery system is both holistic and comprehensive (Ohri et al, 2022).

The Boston Declaration calls for the expansion of the Global Neurosurgical ecosystem beyond the workforce alone, and nurses are central to this expansion along with many other disciplines. Their input helps broaden the definition of the neurosurgical community, ensuring that the needs of patients are met in a multidimensional way that incorporates nursing expertise in patient management, capacity building, education, and advocacy.

The Boston Declaration aims to achieve social change through the improvement of Neurosurgical care worldwide. Nurses, as trusted healthcare providers (ANA, 2021), are uniquely positioned to lead this change by advocating for social justice in healthcare, ensuring that every individual, regardless of socioeconomic status, political position, proximity to conflict or geographical location, has access to the life-saving benefits of neurosurgical care.

Nurses have demonstrated leadership in healthcare settings across the globe, from guiding care delivery to influencing policy. The Boston Declaration recognizes the value of Nursing leadership in advancing healthcare outcomes and acknowledges that Neuroscience Nurses are critical to the successful implementation of its goals, also emphasized in Peshawar Statement (WFNS Global Neurosurgery Conference, 2024). Their expertise, leadership, research skills, and dedication is vital in driving forward the Declaration’s vision.

While the Boston Declaration calls for a universal approach to neurosurgical care, it also recognizes the diverse needs, policies, and healthcare capacities of different nations (Dewan et al, 2018). Nurses, with their global network and experience in diverse settings ANA, 2024; Inshutiyimana et al., 2025) are uniquely equipped to adapt the principles of the Boston Declaration to local contexts, ensuring that the framework is relevant and achievable across varying national realities. Nurses are the indispensable to the Boston Declaration in which they play a critical role in achieving the movement’s goals by contributing their expertise, leadership, and commitment to accessible, equitable, and high-quality neurological care for all.

As we embark on an unprecedented moment in Global Neurosurgery with the launch of the Boston Declaration 2025, we call on all Neuroscience Nurses, as well as local and global Neuroscience Societies, to join us in this transformative movement. The Boston Declaration is not just a framework for advancing Neurosurgical care—it is a commitment for all stakeholders to unite and build a future where accessible, affordable, and high-quality Neurosurgical care is available to all, regardless of location or resources. Nurses are essential in shaping a future where every patient, everywhere, has access to the lifesaving care they need. The success of the Boston Declaration depends on the active participation and leadership of Nurses on the global stage.

Neuroscience Nurses are at the forefront of patient care in neurosurgical settings. Your expertise, compassion, and leadership are essential in shaping the future of Global Neurosurgery. By joining the effort to support the Boston Declaration, you will play an active role in: Advancing Accessible Care:

Ensuring that neurosurgical services reach underserved and low-resource populations, making lifesaving care equitable and available to everyone.

The Boston Declaration is not a solitary initiative—it is a shared commitment that requires the collective strength and voice of all stakeholders including Neuroscience Nurses and Neuroscience Societies. This movement transcends borders, disciplines, and resources. By uniting, we can break the barriers to Global Neurological care, empower local healthcare teams, and drive progress in both developed and developing countries.

Whether you're a practicing Neuroscience Nurse, a Nurse leader, or a member of a National or International Neuroscience Societies, your involvement is crucial to realizing the goals of the Boston Declaration.

Together, we can:

Support Global Neurosurgery objectives,

Global Neuroscience Nurses (GNN) Council and World Federation of Neuroscience Nurses (WFNN) collaborative invite all Neuroscience Nurses, and the societies that represent them, to come together in this transformative initiative. Add your voice, expertise, and leadership to a movement that will reshape the future of neuroscience and Neuroscience Nursing. Together, we can make the Boston Declaration a reality for patients, healthcare professionals, and communities worldwide.

Be a part of the Change. Stand with the Boston Declaration.

Interested in joining — contact us at globalneurosciencenurses@gmail.com