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Organizations
Professional Organizations
Learning and developing are life-long processes. Professional nursing associations provide an opportunity for professional nurses to develop a bigger picture of nursing and health care overall. Membership in a professional association also gives nurses an opportunity to be in control of their professional destiny. Professional nursing organization membership can lead to an increased awareness of nursing issues and support for collective issues among nurses. Association members can explore trends and concerns facing their profession, and the association provides networking opportunities to connect them with peers, mentors, and nursing leaders. Membership in a professional nursing organization also provides nurses with opportunities to exchange ideas and collaborate on issues and projects as they face the challenges of providing quality health care.
Joining professional associations provides nurses with a competitive edge because they become active, informed members of their profession. They can stay connected to their peers at the local and national level. Joining an association also results in educational, personal, and professional development opportunities provided by the association's professional journal, scholarships, and seminars. There also are opportunities for visibility, support, and access to industry leaders and partners.
Every nurse should belong to state or national association. There is strength in numbers. With any membership, however, you get what you put into it. Attend meetings, and reap the benefits offered to you as a member. Join your professional association and get involved to be the best nurse you can be. If you already are a member, invite a colleague who is not a member to join and help build a strong nursing voice.
Benefits of Membership
To fully receive the benefits of membership, you need to be engaged with the association. Find a committee that interests you. Working on a committee provides an opportunity to hone a variety of skills.
Attending meetings will leave you feeling energized and rejuvenated. It is a great way to stay in touch with other nurses from the community, and meetings are good places to exchange ideas and find out how other nurses are handling hot issues. You may learn something new. We need each other for support and camaraderie. Networking with nurses outside your place of employment can give you a broader perspective on the market and health care in general. Other benefits:
· Attending conferences and participating in professional organizations improves your skills and your professionalism. It also gives you the opportunity to attend presentations by experts in your field
· Your membership provides you with a great opportunity to network.
· Most organizations have a publication devoted to issues and developments in your area that comes free with membership.
· Many organizations offer further resources and publications in your area at a reduced rate.
· Employers appreciate knowing that you are interested in keeping abreast of current issues and developments
· Being a member allows you to take advantage of leadership possibilities that not only help you develop your skills, but also prove useful in building your career ladder
· Organizations sometimes offer grants or other funding for special projects
Advantages of belonging to a professional organization
· Professional associations exist for the benefit of the individuals within that organization, to look after their interests, and to provide them with information and resources to help them in their career, such as:
· Watching for trends/changes/advances in their industry/specialty, and helping members to stay up-to-date, e.g., through newsletters, conferences, seminars, communiqués, or journals.
· Working to advance the profession/specialty through maintaining/developing standards, encouraging/providing professional development, and legislative advocacy.
· Promoting networking opportunities among individuals in the profession/specialty.
· Providing (in some cases) association-specific job boards, referral services, etc.
· Providing (in some cases) credentialing in specialty areas.
· Providing (in some cases) perks, such as discounted insurance rates.
In addition to benefits received from the association, often employers consider association membership a plus on an applicant's side, because it shows an active interest in one's profession. Also, membership provides individuals with a work-related venue in which to gain leadership skills.