Professional Associations Membership
Examine the importance of professional associations in nursing. Choose a professional nursing organization that relates to your specialty area, or a specialty area in which you are interested. In a 750‐1,000 word paper, provide a detailed overview the organization and its advantages for members. Include the following:
Describe the organization and its significance to nurses in the specialty area. Include its purpose, mission, and vision. Describe the overall benefits, or “perks,” of being a member.
Explain why it is important for a nurse in this specialty field to network. Discuss how this organization creates networking opportunities for nurses.
Discuss how the organization keeps its members informed of health care changes and changes to practice that affect the specialty area.
Discuss opportunities for continuing education and professional development.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric.
ANSWER
Professional Associations in Nursing
Introduction
Professional Associations in nursing have been critical in the flow of ideas, generating energy and proactive work that is required in maintaining a healthy profession that advocates for the needs of the nurses and clients and the trust of the society (Matthews, 2012). This paper will focus on the professional associations in nursing and the activities of the professional associations in nursing. This paper will also focus on the importance for nurses in the specialty field to network as well as the overall benefits of the professional associations in nursing.
Describe the organization and its significance to nurses in the specialty area. Include its purpose, mission, and vision. Describe the overall benefits, or “perks,” of being a member.
The American Nursing Association focuses on improving the nursing profession through facilitating high standards of nursing, promoting an ethical and safe working environment as well as boosting the health and wellness of the nurses (Harding, Sipe, Whalen and Almeida, 2018). The association has over four million and is based in Silver Spring Maryland. The association is a professional institution that has registered nurses within the United States. The organization is greatly engaged in the development of standards in the nursing practice as well as improving the general welfare of nurses as well as ensuring that the rights of the nurses are protected.
The American Nursing Association consists of three subsidiary groups which include the academy of nursing that emphasizes serving the nursing profession and the public through the promotion of better health care practice and policy (Camicia et al., 2013). The second is the American Nurse Foundation which has created a philanthropic and charitable arm. The third organization is the American Nurses Credentialing Center that is utilized to credential facilities that indicate the nurse’s excellence.
The mission of ANA is to elevate the nursing profession globally, through engaging all the nurses to facilitate the professional success of all nurses as well as evolving the practice of nursing to improve health and health care. ANA outlines an approach that the nursing profession will rely on to improve the quality of health. The vision of ANA is to reach a healthy world through the power of the nursing profession. ANA focuses on offer leadership and resources for nurses to enable shape the nursing health care and profession today and in the future.
Becoming a member of the ANA comes with various benefits. Considerably, members are exposed to various welfare and retirement benefits options that one can choose that suit their situation. The institution also benefits the members with health insurance and short and long-term disability insurance that cater to the requirements of the members. ANA has been committed to the personal and professional development of members and the general advancement of the nurse (Camicia et al., 2013). Nurses in the ANA will empower nurses to be updated on the current professional practices in the ever-changing nursing field. ANA members are offered information, resources as well as opportunities that might be available to nurses anywhere.
Explain why it is important for a nurse in this specialty field to a network. Discuss how this organization creates networking opportunities for nurses.
Networking within the nursing profession brings along advantages to its members. One of the greatest benefits is growth and development in the profession due to professional networking which is viewed as interactions that are focused on creating professional connections (Matthews, 2012). Ideally, professional networking in nursing is a channel for career development. This builds the urge for the nurses to advance in the career through networking and getting various opinions and opportunities to grow and learn in their careers. Additionally, it is essential in generating opportunities that are linked to acquiring jobs, sharing competencies, interests, ideas ad career goals.
The nursing profession is an ever-changing field with various innovations taking place. Therefore, through networking, professional nurses can remain updated on the trends. It is essential to exchange ideas that are essential for keeping one’s knowledge and ideas relevant and fresh. Networking is also critical for professional assistance since through connections one can seek support from each other thus helping in relieving stress.
ANA has also played an essential role in ensuring that there is effective networking for nurses. ANA builds various committees that include varying nurses thus enabling them to share and connect in a lot related to the nursing profession (Simpson, 2016). For instance, they plan for conferences that have various individuals showing up to build on the knowledge and capacity of members. They open their minds in terms of opportunities and ideas to build on their nursing profession.
Discuss how the organization keeps its members informed of health care changes and changes to practice that affects the specialty area.
ANA relies on different communication techniques that offer information to the nurses. ANA has been leading in informing its members about significant information linked to the nursing practice. The association has relied on a communication system that offers robust communication among its members. ANA relies on personal emails to communicate with the members especially when there is sensitive information. Additionally, it also relies on memos to distribute and pass information to nurses aiming at enhancing the practices of nurses in the healthcare system.
Discuss opportunities for continuing education and professional development
American Nursing Association has supported continued professional development and education for both groups and individuals. They have focused on offering nurses essential skills and adequate knowledge through on-site activities like consultation and mentoring as well as off-site activities such as professional seminars and conferences as well as enrollment in continued education (Camicia et al., 2013). ANA has programs that have supported individuals at various stages and levels of the career. These have ensured that individuals are still exposed to continued learning which is essential for professional development in the nursing field.
References
Camicia, M., Chamberlain, B., Finnie, R. R., Nalle, M., Lindeke, L. L., Lorenz, L., … & McMenamin, P. (2013). The value of nursing care coordination: A white paper of the American Nurses Association. Nursing Outlook, 61(6), 490-501.
Harding, A. D., Sipe, M., Whalen, K. C., & Almeida, N. (2018). Applying for the American Nurses Association Credentialing Center Accreditation Program in the Setting of Registered Nurse Remediation. Journal for nurses in professional development, 34(6), E1-E7.
Matthews, J. (2012). Role of professional organizations in advocating for the nursing profession. Online J Issues Nurs, 17(3).
Simpson, K. R. (2016). Incivility, bullying, and workplace violence: new recommendations for nurses and their employers from the American Nurses Association. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 41(1), 68.
