Question about additional associations

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 15, 2006

For many years, I was a member of AWHONN. I think I got those letters right. It is The Association for Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses. They are the ones who established the certification exams for those specialties and have a long history of providing excellent educational materials, conferences, etc.

I am no longer a member because I have cut back on my memberships in recent years -- having been a member of several associations. As a NICU nurse, AWHONN was useful, but not the primary association for my specialty. So, as I was trying to reduce my committments, it is one that I let drop.

By the way, I did write the moderator about the other thread. I found nothing wrong with it and felt it should not have been locked. Have you ever seen the movie "Miricle on 34th Street"? In the movie, the people at Macy's were angry at first that Santa Claus would recommend a rival store -- until they realized how much the customers appreciated the honest, open answers to their questions. When they realized it actually helped their business to take a more open approach to meeting the needs of the customers, they supported the practice. I think this is a similar situation.

I hope you get the information you are looking for.

llg

Trauma Columnist · Jun 15, 2006

I belong to the Emergency Nurses Association and the Illinois Society of Advanced Practice Nurses. Both are very solid organizations that provide me with what I want/need at this stage of my career.

If you are talking about the ANA - no I don't belong simply because I think for $536/year - I would need a lot to spend that kind of money.

mtnmom · Jun 15, 2006

If there is an association relevant to your specialty or preferred area in nursing and if you can afford it, then by all means I think it is worthwhile. Membership will be a way to network, receive the latest evidence-based information, and I might add looks good on a resume.

Unfortunately right now I have had to let all of my professional associations lapse while I struggle financially through graduate school. I can't even afford to keep my Sigma Theta Tau current, but plan to renew when I finish and get back on my financial feet.

By the way, I had initially missed your other thread but when I saw llg's comments, I checked it out. (llg is one of the allnurses posters that I respect highly). I also contacted the moderator, for what it is worth, and registered a "respectful protest". No, I don't know what else is out there as far as forums go.

ljds · Jun 15, 2006

Thanks, everyone for the responses and the information. I'll have to check into some associations and investigate more directly what they exactly have to offer. I was skeptical of their worth (I didn't feel like any of my student associations had any direct or real worth once school was over--or really, even during school for that matter); but it sounds like the specialty associations are more practical and useful. Good to know!

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Jun 16, 2006

I know I posted something about specialty organizations on a previous thread, but I think I'm taking that advice back. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the main problem is that you want to be able to carry on conversations without being judged.

If that's really the problem, I don't see how you solve it by joining a professional association - a group that is likely to give you less latitude than you have here. Whether it's AWHONN, NANN, ENA, ANA, or AACN, and whether you're at a meeting or on an online message board of theirs, you'd probably be expected to only discuss topics that are directly relevant to the practice of that specialty. And, unlike here, in a professional organization people would likely know your name, where you practice, etc. - so any 'gray area' comments would likely have much wider implications than just having a thread locked.

It's commendable for any nurse to want to network professionally and advance their knowledge. I just don't think it's going to solve the problem at hand.

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 16, 2006

I know I posted something about specialty organizations on a previous thread, but I think I'm taking that advice back. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the main problem is that you want to be able to carry on conversations without being judged.
.

I agree and said something like that in the other thread. The professional associations offer some great opportunities for networking and for the discussion of clinical issues associated with that specialty -- but their websites and bulletin boards tend to be less general and more "constrained" than allnurses.

llg

debbieGa · Jun 16, 2006

I am a member of APON (Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses). I joined to attend conferences, and I would like to become CPON certified. I have only been working in Peds Heme/Onc for a year so I need a couple more years of experience. They also have relevent newsletters. I guess to answer your question it is to advance my career and to gain extra knowledge.

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Jun 17, 2006

I agree and said something like that in the other thread. The professional associations offer some great opportunities for networking and for the discussion of clinical issues associated with that specialty -- but their websites and bulletin boards tend to be less general and more "constrained" than allnurses.
llg

Sorry, llg! I swear I wasn't trying to steal your idea. :)

kat911 · Jun 17, 2006

I agree and said something like that in the other thread. The professional associations offer some great opportunities for networking and for the discussion of clinical issues associated with that specialty -- but their websites and bulletin boards tend to be less general and more "constrained" than allnurses.
llg

Perhaps Allnurses needs to start a Nursing organization for everyone. I don't belong to ANA because they have never suupported my views and they don't want to hear them. We need an organization that is able to offer support to all Nurses and give everyone a voice, like this forum. HINT!HINT!