Should I join NASN

Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 2010

I believe it is worth it, but I am in the same boat with you with lack of funds, so mine has been lapsed for a while. I use the free and discounted CEUs, and I have used the free eye exams/glasses through the VSP program. That alone makes it worth it to me, I look at it as a charitable contribution to my school community (my school is a very low income area).

I plan to renew as soon as I get the $$ to do so.

millhouse · Sep 10, 2010

does this come out of your school budget??

Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN · Sep 13, 2010

Unfortunately, no. We asked our director if we could approach the principal about covering part or all of the cost, since this is a direct benefit to the students at my school, and we were shot down pretty hard.

bergren · Sep 20, 2010

I have always been an NASN member since my first school nurse job and I have never had it paid for by my employer. Belonging to a professional association is the mark of a professional and a professional responsibility. I think in a role that is as independent as school nursing, it is all the more important to be a part of a group that assists and supports school nurses

NASN benefits: Journal of School Nursing, NASN School Nurse periodical, elelctronic NASN Weekly Digest, blast meails of health and recall alerts, free electronic full text access to all back issues association journals and periodicals, 11 Internet listservs for various school nurse subspecialties, discounts on books, conferences and online CE, and more.

Right now NASN is offering a promotion that the next 350 nurses who sign up for membership for the first time will get the 2007 edition of the School Nurse National Certification Preparation manual (a new 2010 one has come out).

To join go to http://www.nasn.org

geocachingRN · Sep 23, 2010

Actually, the latest NASN membership promotion bothers me as I'd really like to get the review guide, but I don;t qualify. I'm a new school nurse and I joined last December. Other than the journal and being a member of a professional organization, which I support, it is expensive and I get no real benefit from NASN membership. I'm in grad school, out here we need to be credentialed just like teachers. So I'm thinking of not renewing and spend that money on the review guide.

bergren · Sep 23, 2010

The free book is the 2007 version of the review book. I think the revised 2010 version is only $40, so not the same as a years membership. Plus, to prepare for the exam, the full text of the Journal of School Nursing back to ?? 2000? would be really helpful as well as the free CE on a number of topics that the exam addresses.

Plus for students, continuous membership makes you eligible for $1500 scholarships that have good odds of getting. There are also the eligiblity for the Advocacy award that pays your way to NIWI or another advocacy training. And the odds for theresearch awards are good - I think there are 3 a year. I received the research award in 1992 for my masters and in 2002 for my dissertation.

My years membership because it is combined with my state membership is about $150, it is 12.50 a month, $2.88 a week or 43 cents a day.

millhouse · Sep 23, 2010

I have always been an NASN member since my first school nurse job and I have never had it paid for by my employer. Belonging to a professional association is the mark of a professional and a professional responsibility. I think in a role that is as independent as school nursing, it is all the more important to be a part of a group that assists and supports school nurses

While I agree with what you say, until I get paid like a nurse and treated as a professional and not grouped with non-degreed cafeteria workers and bus drives... I think I will pass. The money I earn goes toward much more important things, such as my family. :twocents:

geocachingRN · Sep 24, 2010

The free book is the 2007 version of the review book. I think the revised 2010 version is only $40, so not the same as a years membership. Plus, to prepare for the exam, the full text of the Journal of School Nursing back to ?? 2000? would be really helpful as well as the free CE on a number of topics that the exam addresses.
Plus for students, continuous membership makes you eligible for $1500 scholarships that have good odds of getting. There are also the eligiblity for the Advocacy award that pays your way to NIWI or another advocacy training. And the odds for the research awards are good - I think there are 3 a year. I received the research award in 1992 for my masters and in 2002 for my dissertation.
My years membership because it is combined with my state membership is about $150, it is 12.50 a month, $2.88 a week or 43 cents a day.

Thanks for the heads up, and you are correct, the archives are a great resource as would be the CE's. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe I need to be enrolled in a school nurse credential program in order to apply for the scholarships. Unfortunately I have another year to go on an MSN that was in progress when I got this job. Also, the Fresno program requires 4-5 pre-reqs before setting foot on that campus and since technically I'm not enrolled, I don't think it counts. Lastly, CA has the highest cost at 210/Active and 105/student and I really don't know why it's so much higher here than anywhere else. Do you, Martha?

bergren · Sep 24, 2010

There is not criteria that you have to be enrolled as a degree seeking student to be eligible. I do recall in the past award winners were in the same situation as you.

I also forgot that scholarship recipients receive a complimentary four-day registration to the Annual Conference for year of award

Each NASN state affiliate can determine what the state's portion of the annual dues is. The California affiliate could respond to your question.

Neveranurseagain, RN · Sep 25, 2010

I'd love to join but I am a single parent and make 20% over the poverty level as a school nurse. So that counts me out!

bergren · Sep 25, 2010

Although my membership was never a job benefit, I know many school nurses'membership dues are paid for by the district. It is typically districts where the nurses are on teacher salary scale and since it is a teacher's benefit, it is also all professional staff benefit