ANA too expensive for my budget

[Huganurse]

I would have joined the ANA if I could afford it but the cost has been prohibitive. If only a 180,000 belong out of the 2.5 million of us, there must be a reason and I think it just costs too much! Is this the reason you don't belong too? I know there are those of you that frequent this BB and have posted your reasons already as to why you don't belong. I'm interested in finding out if cost is the main reason that others like me don't join too.

[Stargazer]

I have some sympathy for this point of view, hug. My state nursing association's fees always seemed uncomfortably high to me. I was also irritated by the fact that, because of my hospital's contract with them, once I had joined I did not have the option of NOT belonging as long as I was employed at that hospital. In fact, a year after I left (and was working out of the country), the SNA came after me for back dues.

Nonetheless, it made sense to me to be a part of the SNA when they were also the bargaining unit and negotiated our contacts. Since I have been working in a non-hospital setting for the past 7 years, I didn't see a lot of merit in rejoining. It is only in the past year or so, as nurses have been lobbying their state legislatures for passage of pro-nursing and pro-patient bills, that I am considering it.

However--the high dues/low rate of enrollment has always seemed quite obviously linked to me, and I wonder that the SNA's can't see it. It reminds me of the Jack-in-the-Box commercial where the kid is offering his services as a "fast-food consultant" to taste a product and offer an opinion for $25,000 a shot. Jack asks, "Wow, any takers?" and the kid responds, "All I need is one." I think the SNA's are pricing themselves out of business. What makes more sense--to have 5000 nurses paying $20/month dues, or 500 paying $150/month?