Why don't nurses join the ANA?

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  1. Why don't you join (or won't you renew in) the ANA?

    • 84
      It's costs too much
    • 67
      I dont agree with the ANA's political agendas
    • 46
      They don't represent my level of nursing
    • 17
      I belong to specialty nursing organization and thats enough
    • 11
      Other - please state

102 members have participated

I am curious - if you are not a member of the ANA, why not?

Don't forget the Poll at the top!

Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

Just to be clear - I am not talking unions, and I am not talking political involvment in terms of candidate support. Im talking lobbying for healthcare policy changes.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
I've wondered the same thing, that nurses of every stripe are the largest single workforce in the health care world and what power would be unleashed if they all got their s**t together and joined forces?

Some would have to stop arguing amongst themselves of who was the better nurse before that could happen.

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Some would have to stop arguing amongst themselves of who was the better nurse before that could happen.

Wordy word word. And word.

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If the ANA really wanted to see what it was like to wield true power, they would provide FREE membership, say for a period of 3 years, to everyone listed with each state's BON. Of course, this would never happen. The purpose of each organization is first and foremost the perpetuation of the organization. Uncontrolled members might TAKE OVER and make the organization what THEY want, rather than what ANA deems worthy.

I have just survived the 1st semester of my BSN program, and have not been sold on the teacher's statement that "It does not matter how much membership in ANA costs, it's worth it at any price!" :uhoh3:

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#1.....it costs too darned much

#2.....I am a lowly diploma RN and I don't exist in their universe....but they REALLY wanted my money after I graduated!!!:lol_hitti

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If the ANA really wanted to see what it was like to wield true power, they would provide FREE membership, say for a period of 3 years, to everyone listed with each state's BON. Of course, this would never happen. The purpose of each organization is first and foremost the perpetuation of the organization. Uncontrolled members might TAKE OVER and make the organization what THEY want, rather than what ANA deems worthy.

I have just survived the 1st semester of my BSN program, and have not been sold on the teacher's statement that "It does not matter how much membership in ANA costs, it's worth it at any price!" :uhoh3:

In California, Maine, Massachusetts, and perhaps others staff nurses took over. Unfortunately we also had to leave the National organization.

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Taht is one organization that can be dangerous to join

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Specializes in icu, neuro icu, nursing ed.
Will never become a member because they are weak, ineffective, and completely out of touch with the average nurse in this country. I sometimes wonder who exactly they think they are supposed to represent. It is certainly not the bedside nurse. I applauded the California Nurses Association when they withdrew from the ANA. I think that if all of the state nurses associations did that then they might finally realize that they have had their heads up their butts for too long, and maybe they should listen to the bedside nurse for a change.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

so TRUE! during downsizing of 90's, instead of advocating for nurses, ANA printed full page "study" asking what the layed off RNs planned to do now?:angryfire :uhoh3: :madface:

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so TRUE! during downsizing of 90's, instead of advocating for nurses, ANA printed full page "study" asking what the layed off RNs planned to do now?:angryfire :uhoh3: :madface:

My "special favorite" was to publish a guide for RNs on delegating to what were professional nursing activities to unlicensed assistive personnel. The AACN did the same thing. I went to their convention in May of 1994, thinking that I would hear all about the dangers that where occurring at the bedside. There was not one word of what was going on. I was shocked, to say the least. Now, all of these "Professional Organzations" are back peddling, and realzing that they missed the boat. All it did was confirm to me who the ANA, and other "professional organizations" were truly beholden to. And it was certainly not the bedside nurse.

So much for joining your "professional organization" to enhance your "professional image". How unprofessional it is to belong to a union, isn't it? There is nothing "professional" about being "insourced", overworked, underpaid, and given not even the slightest attempt of respect, or consideration, as a licensed, medical professional, the "backbone"? of the US health care system. I rest my case. JMHO, and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

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Attend an event held by a "professional organization" that is "sponsored" by pharmaceutical companies, hospital systems, and device manufacturers it is clear who the are beholden to.

I'de rather pay dues to a democratic organization of bedside nurses.

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Specializes in Psych/CD/Medical/Emp Hlth/Staff ED.

Personally, I don't consider the ANA to be a truly legitimate professional practice organization. The ANA is primarily a collective bargaining organization that attempts to be a professional practice organization at the same time. While it's not necessarily impossible to do both, it is very difficult to honestly do both simultaneously.

The purpose of a collective bargaining organization is to protect and advocate for those it represents, in this case that would be Nurses. The purpose of Nursing is to protect and advocate for patients, which is often at odds with the goals of a union

As a unit specific example, I once knew of an RN who was abusive to patients and reckless in her care. The staff often took their complaints to the Manager whose hands were largely tied due to the union, which did a very good job of protecting this particular nurse. After months of swearing at patients, calling them stupid, failing to treat etc, her nightly routine of sedating patients at the beginning of her shift to try and keep them quiet proved to be her downfall after one of her patients required intubation due to oversedation. She still wasn't fired mind you, but instead was asked to resign, since that was really our only option. If Nursing is supposed to protect patients then why don't our unions reflect that?

On a larger scale, the implementation of Nursing Diagnoses is another example of where the ANA failed to support patient centered nursing practice. While the ANA didn't invent Nursing Diagnoses, they did heavily back them as a PR tool and as a snub to the Medical Community. Thankfully, the Nursing Diagnosis Pedagogy system is nearly extinct, thanks in large part to the Joint Commission's ban on their use and Patricia Benner's most recent book.

One of the most cited examples of where the ANA placed protecting the nurse over protecting patients is issue of insulin injections at school. The ANA declared that only nurses should be allowed to give insulin injections. It's fairly clear to the public that the ANA doesn't really believe this since they have never advocated that diabetics or parents/caretakers of diabetic children should not administer insulin. The ANA is clearly trying to protect the jobs of school nurses, but at whose expense? The patient.

Nursing needs a dedicated overall professional practice organization with a focus on the patient that can effectively act as check and balance to the intentionally selfish nature of a collective bargaining organization so that our profession can truly move forward.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

The question should be why should we join the ANA.

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