Your State Nurses' Association

I don't know about other states but in CA it's also the strongest union. I have belonged for 18 years now because its required as part of my employment, but I'm glad I do. The union kept me from being unfairly fired at my first job.

I belong to it because I have to at the hospital I work at. I could elect to not join, but I would still have to pay the dues anyway...

i could be wrong here, but i think they are referring to your state's nursing association, not the union. for example, here in texas we have the texas nurses association or tna. i am still a student, but graduating in may. i belong to the national student's nurses association because of the assistance they offer to help get us out of school.

Yes, I was asking about the professional organization. But in a lot of states, the Professional org. is also the biggest collective bargaining unit for nurses. That is not the case here. Some nurses are unionized but by a blue-collar union of some type, can't remember which.

Membership in our state organization is low and yet the association is a very effective voice for nursing when our legislature is in session. I was wondering what would induce more nurses to join.

I can't afford it! In Illinois, the Illinois branch of the ANA dues are well over $500/yr. Totally ridiculous in my book. And yes, the INA is the biggest union organizer. Where I live, nurses aren't unionized.

Yikes! $500 IS prohibitive. I think mine are half that and the bulk of it goes to the national organization. Our state ass'n really runs on a shoe string and still manages to do some good things.

The VNA is an elitist organization, that's why i don't belong.

I let my membership lapse because the cost is prohibitive for me. In Georgia there is no union representation or collective bargaining going on that I am aware of.

The one issue that they get involved in lobbying for that I would like to support is prescriptive authority for APRN's - Georgia is the only state in the union that still does not have it. But as much as I support that issue I still cant afford membership right now.