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Learning and developing are life-long processes. Professional nursing associations provide an opportunity for professional nurses to develop a bigger picture of nursing and health care overall. Membership in a professional association also gives nurses, including perioperative nurses, an opportunity to be in control of their professional destiny. Professional nursing organization membership can lead to an increased awareness of nursing issues and support for collective actions among nurses. Association members can explore trends and concerns facing their profession, and the association provides networking opportunities to connect them with peers, mentors, and nursing leaders. Membership in a professional nursing organization, like AORN, also provides nurses with opportunities to exchange ideas and collaborate on issues and projects as they face the challenges of providing quality health care.
Joining associations like AORN provides nurses with a competitive edge because they become active, informed members of their profession. They can stay connected to their peers at the local and national level. Joining an association also results in educational, personal, and professional development opportunities provided by the association's professional journal, scholarships, and seminars. There also are opportunities for visibility, support, and access to industry leaders and partners.
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF MEMBERSHIP
Just joining a professional organization is not enough, however. To fully receive the benefits of membership, you need to be engaged with the association. Find a committee that interests you. In AORN, for example, members can get involved in education, membership, and finance committees as well as...