Benefits of joining a nursing organization????

hellerd2003, RN · Mar 4, 2009

If you join AACN, you get access to online courses that give you free CEU's. It also looks good on a resume to be part of a professional organization.

AND . . . as a member of a professional organization, you have access to research journals that will improve your practice. That's a good thing in and of itself. Who doesn't want to be the best at their job?

Were I you, I would apply to take the CCRN exam, and co-apply for membership to AACN. You will get a discount if you do it this way. Additionally, there are some hospitals making a push throughout this country for RN's in ICU to have CCRN certification. The further ahead of the curve you are, the better off you will be (esp. in this economy).

MBT,RN · Mar 5, 2009

Thank you SO much that it very helpful! :yeah:

JustMe · Mar 5, 2009

There is also benefit to joining your state/national nursing organizations. Nurses are the LARGEST group of health care workers in the WORLD, yet our voice is rarely heard when it comes to our own practice or the care of our patients. Our state and national professional nursing organizations represent us locally, in the state legislatures, and in Washington, D.C. I don't have the time to lobby all these people about each and every issue, so I join these organizations to do it for me. I can still write letters on the particular issues of importance to me but this way I know EACH nurse is represented. I know "lobbyist" and "special interest group" are dirty words these days, but also know that nurses are often ranked very high in public opinion polls for honesty and caring. Professional nursing lobbyists are advocates for a group of workers who usually are more interested in their profession than their wallets. So I belong to my state and national nursing organizations and I also belong to my specialty group (AACN). I know it's a lot of money but I feel better knowing someone out there cares about the same issues I do. Just my :twocents: