Benefits of joining a Nursing Association

Jules A, MSN · Apr 14, 2009

As a student member you will get a discount to join and I felt it was an excellent item to add to my otherwise sporifice resume. I think they are important to give us a voice and power in numbers. There may not be any immediate benefits just for you personally but over all I think its very important. I have gained incredible contacts and doubt I'll ever be without a job just based on the NMs I'm friends with because of my ANA membership. To me these are the movers and shakers who despite being as busy as everyone else are still willing to put in their time to help us. In contrast to those that would rather sit around and complain about how miserable things are but have never attended a meeting or done anything to change things.

Penguin67 · Apr 14, 2009

As a student, I would suggest becoming a member of the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA). This organization is designed to assist you with your role as a student nurse, as well as the transition into the role of professional nurse upon graduation. You get national and state membership from the one very low fee (around $30-40, depending upon your state), and your nursing program probably has a local chapter as well. You get a journal from NSNA as part of your membership fee. It has articles for nursing students, and often by practicing nurses. Excellent membership benefit, but there are others, like discounst a Barnes and Noble at their online store and insurance discounts, etc... You can attend national and state conventions and hear from nurses who are working, as well as meet recruiters. the local chapters usually have monthly meeting with good guest speakers. Each local chapter usually defines itself differently, depending what the members want. There may even be community service activities to participate in. Also, there are leadership positions in all levels that you can run for office for. An excellent way to learn valuable leadership skills. National's website is www.nsna.org There are links to state and some local chapter's websites there, too. Hope this helps!