Professional Nursing Organizations
This assignment focuses on your professional development as a Registered Nurse. Some of you already work in healthcare and have a vision and goal as to where you wish to practice. Others have been exposed to several specialties and are still unsure. Finally, some of you are just happy to finish school and secure employment.
Whatever path you choose, it is essential to understand that nurses are knowledge workers in a demanding and stressful environment. In order to flourish and derive satisfaction from your profession, it is vitally important to develop a network and support system of like-minded colleagues. Joining a professional organization is one way to care for yourself and the profession of nursing. Professional organizations are a perfect setting for networking; allowing nurses to share experiences, provide support, and learn about new opportunities. Additionally, most groups provide continuing education and access to professional periodicals to keep you informed and updated.
There are many kinds of nurse organizations. Since you may be investing some amount of time and money in participating in the organization’s activities, choosing the right one is important. for you. In general, professional nursing organizations fall into three categories:
- Broad based
- Specialty focused
- Special interest
Besides these categories, there are national, state, and international organizations which offer the opportunity to network locally and globally. As a professional nurse, you need to consider the benefits of joining a professional organization and seek out an organization that best supports your professional goals.
For this assignment write a 4-5- page APA formatted paper (exclusive of title and reference pages) on the benefits of belonging to a nursing organization. The rubric below is a guideline to follow and demonstrates the total point breakdown.
| Topics | Possible Points |
| State and discuss the mission and vision statements of at least 2 professional nursing organizations. | 10 |
| Describe at least three practice-related opportunities your first choice group offers that best support your professional goals. | 10 |
| Identify any political initiatives or policy agenda integral to your organization of choice.(i.e. practices to improve patient outcomes or expand nursing practice). | 20 |
| Correct APA format | 5 |
| Proper grammar, spelling, usage, and mechanics. | 5 |
| Total | 50 |
