Ohio RN should I join a professional nursing organization

[Am0819]

Hello fellow nurses! I am a recent RN graduate with an associates degree working in Ohio. I am considering joining a professional nursing organization in hopes of landing a better job--I'm aiming for something in a hospital although it's very competitive around here and BSN is always preferred. Joining something like ONA is pretty expensive and my question is do you think it will help me in my job search? Does it look good on a resume or in an interview? Do recruiters even pay attention to this? I am willing to spend the money if it will help me in my career!

I have been working in a LTC facility for a few weeks now and I am completely miserable! I have up to 30 patients and I am spending so much time passing meds that I do not feel fulfilled in my job. This is not what I pictured graduating from nursing school. I am completely stressed out at all times and really unhappy. I am trying to be positive and get my experience but it has been a really hard couple of weeks. Please give me your opinion on these professional nursing organizations. Thank you!

[CamillusRN, BSN]

What's your desired field? I'm a critical access RN looking to transfer to a trauma center, so I've joined up with the ENA and AACN. Not only do they look good on a resume, but membership with these groups includes free CEUs to enhance professional knowledge, peer-reviewed journals to keep up to date on best practices in your field of choice, and the opportunity to network with like-minded professionals.

I believe the best way to make a membership work for you is to take advantage of their research and best-practice recommendations. If you can publish the transcripts to a personal portfolio that the prospective employer can view, they'll see you're serious about making a contribution to the clinical setting. Just having the organization's name/logo on your resume without proof of participation won't put you a step above the competition IMHO. Best of luck to you in your search for a better work environment!