American Nursing Association

First of all, when you join the American Nurses Association you also become a member of the Wisconsin Nurses Association.  This is important because it means you get access to all the benefits below.  For a nursing student the cost of membership is $130.00 / year or $11.34 / month; although this is a significant amount of money for most of us this is money well spent.  For just over 1/2 of 1% of our tuition at Edgewood we are helping to ensure the future of our profession.  The sad fact of American politics is that the wheels of new laws are greased with money from lobbyists.  We will be practicing in a time when nursing shortages are going to be must more common and severe than they are now.  It is up to us to support the ANA which lobby's for nurses to ensure that laws are not passed which let us be over-worked and under-paid in order to deal with the coming nursing shortages.  If that isn't enough there are many other benefits listed below.

Your guide to the benefits of membership...
It pays for itself

The American Nurses Association and the federation of Constituent Member Associations (CMAs) are an influential and effective network of registered nurses who support nursing.

When you join ANA, you join with nurses around the country in speaking with one strong voice on behalf of your profession and health care. Together we can make a difference! As a full ANA/CMA member - you are a full voting member in the American Nurses Association and your state nurses association and entitled to valuable products and benefits that help you:

Be heard: advocating for nurses where it matters

• Federal lobbying on issues important to nursing and health care, - issues such as safe staffing, nursing workforce development, overtime pay and access to care.
• State lobbying through our State Nurses Associations and nationwide state legislative agenda on issues vital to your scope of practice.
• Representing nursing where it matters, including the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and many others, right up to the White House.
• Speaking for nursing through the media including stories in the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, 60 Minutes , NBC Nightly News, CNN, and NPR to name a few.
• Speaking for U.S nurses as the only U.S.A member of the International Council of Nurses and attending meetings of the World Health Organization.

Guide the Profession: ensuring nursing quality and safety

• Maintaining the Code of Ethics for Nurses which was first developed by ANA in 1926.
• ANA develops and publishes the Scope and Standards of practice for nursing and many of its specialties.
• Through the National Database on Nursing Quality Indicators, ANA is collecting data that link nurse staffing levels to quality nursing care.
• Addressing workplace hazards such as back injuries, latex allergies, safe needles and workplace violence.

Influence Decisions: becoming involved

• Join one of the many committees and boards at the national, state and local level that are shaping the direction of the association and the profession.
• Participate in member surveys that let you influence the association's agenda.

Promote yourself: professional development tools and opportunities

• Members save up to $140 on certification through ANCC.
• Online continuing education available at a discount or free to members.
• Conferences and educational events at the national and local level offered at a discount to members.
• Member discounts on nursesbooks.org - ANA's publications arm.
• Up to 60% savings on regular monthly dues with GlobalFit Fitness program.
• Find a new job on Nurses's Career Center.

Stay informed: publications that keep you current

• Free subscription to The American Nurse - a $20 value.
• Free subscription to The American Nurse Today, an $18.95 value.
• Free online access to OJIN - the OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing.
• Free subscription to your state newsletter.
• Free access to ANA's Informative listserves including - Capitol Update and Members Insider.
• Access to the new Members Only web site of NursingWorld.org.

See the full list of benefits