Professional Nursing Associations

Nurses are the most significant membership component of professional nursing associations. Each association represents various practice communities, large and small, within the nursing profession. These communities include nurses who share a common area of nursing practice or practice in a specific geographical area. At the national level, an association may have several hundred thousand members; at the local level, less than a hundred. Members range from student nurses to practicing nurses with many years of experience.

Nurses join associations that best represent their interests and areas of practice. Professional nursing associations advocate for their members and provide services promoting their members’ professional growth and development. Nurses may belong to more than one association, depending on their areas of practice and interests.

Many non-nursing associations also include nurses in their membership. For example, many physician associations welcome nurses who play an essential role in the shared practice areas.

Professional nursing associations advocate for their members. Associations often lobby state and federal governments for legislation that protects the professional standing of its members. At the state level, this involves establishing minimum requirements for different levels of licensing for nurses.

Associations also advocate for the expansion of specific nursing roles. An example of this advocacy is lobbying state legislators to expand the Scope of Practice for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) roles.

Nursing associations promote the professionalism of their members through education, certification, and published standards of ethics.

At its core, nursing is an act of giving care to individuals, families, groups, and communities. Nurses encounter many challenges when caring for the sick, injured, and vulnerable and addressing social justice. Professional nursing associations issue or adopt a Code of Ethics to ensure fair, just, and respectful care.

A Code of Ethics establishes:

• Ethical obligations and duties,
• Non-negotiable ethical standards, and
• A commitment to patients and society at large.

Adherence to a Code of Ethics reduces the moral distress nurses may encounter in their practice.

There are five geographical levels of representation for professional nursing associations :

• International – these associations represent nursing worldwide,
• National – these associations represent nursing in the United States,
• Regional – associations represent nursing in multiple states. Most are affiliates or chapters of a national association,
• State – represents nursing in an entire state. Most are affiliates or chapters of a national association, and
• Local – represents nursing in metropolitan areas or portions of a state. Most are affiliates or chapters of a national association. Some local associations cross over state lines.

Membership in an affiliate or chapter association and its parent association at the national level is often linked.

Two major focus areas for professional nursing associations are clinical practice and administration. Clinical-oriented associations focus on aspects of patient care related to specific treatments or diseases. Other associations address nursing and patient care services management, administration, or organization.

Professional nursing associations have played a significant role in expanding nursing roles in both clinical and administrative areas. The role of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses has expanded into areas of practice once reserved solely for Physicians. On the administrative side, nursing leadership has grown to encompass overall patient care services throughout healthcare delivery systems.

Outside of colleges and universities, professional nursing associations are the single most significant source of continuing education for nurse professionals. Nursing associations deliver education to their members in a variety of formats:

• Conferences – lectures, panel discussions, workshops, and seminars,
• Certifications – exam preparation and training materials,
• Publications – books, booklets, and manuals,
• Journals – many of these are peer-reviewed, and
• Newsletters – recent developments and other news in areas of practice.

Most professional nursing associations gather their members for annual conferences. Conference content is educational and focused on addressing the direct needs of its members. This educational focus includes formal presentations and informal discussions, which occur whenever nurse professionals gather to “talk shop” and trade ideas.

Many associations also hold smaller conferences, seminars, and workshops quarterly or semiannually. These smaller gatherings tend to focus on specific topics.

While most attendees are association members, larger conferences attract professionals from related healthcare fields.

Many associations offer Nursing Certifications to its members. The purpose of these certifications is to establish professional standards for its members. Certifications disseminate new knowledge to the association’s members. Certifications also refresh skills and knowledge in specific practice areas for their members.

Professional nursing associations that issue certifications may do so from the associations themselves or through a separate but closely held certification organization. In either case, the focus of these certifications is specific to the practice of its members.

Many certifications are optional. However, patients, healthcare associations, and nurses benefit when nurses earn certifications within their practice area.

Some certifications, however, are mandatory for practice. These are certifications required as a prerequisite for obtaining a state license to practice. These practice areas include Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) roles:

At other times, certifications may be a condition of employment.