Examine the importance of professional associations in nursing. Choose a professional
nursing organization that relates to your specialty area, or a specialty area in which you
are interested. In a 750-1,000 word paper, provide a detailed overview the organization and
its advantages for members. Include the following:
Describe the organization and its significance to nurses in the specialty area. Include its
purpose, mission, and vision. Describe the overall benefits, or “perks,” of being a member.
Explain why it is important for a nurse in this specialty field to network. Discuss how this
organization creates networking opportunities for nurses.
Discuss how the organization keeps its members informed of health care changes and
changes to practice that affect the specialty area.
Discuss opportunities for continuing education and professional development.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located
in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment
to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion. My field of interest is
Psychiatry.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS IN NURSING
American Psychiatric Nurses Association
Introduction
American Psychiatric Nurses Association is one of the leading organizations in nursing
that represents the interest of millions of registered psychiatric nurses in different areas of
specialization. It plays a significant role in enhancing and ensuring quality healthcare. It is a
strong voice for psychiatric nursing professionals in all the states in the United States territories
(American Nurses Association, 2019). APNA advances the nursing profession by enhancing the
wellness and health of its members, advocating on health issues that affect both the members and
the public, promoting safety in the nursing profession through the code of ethics and promoting
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high nursing practice standards in all specialty areas. APNA’s mission and vision act as the
guiding light for this association and its members. Its mission and vision are advancing the
science and education of psychiatric-mental health nursing (American Psychiatric Nurses
Association, 2019). This paper will explore the benefits of APNA to Psychiatry specialists by
discussing how the association creates networking opportunities, how members are informed on
health care changes affecting the area of specialty and opportunities for continuing education and
professional development.
Benefits
The benefits of APNA to its members are enhancing psychiatric-mental health-wellness
and recovery promotions by identifying mental health issues affecting its members and societies.
This involves the development of preventive measures that help deal with problems of mental
health, providing care and treatment for persons suffering from psychiatric related disorders
(American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 2019). As an affiliate of ANA, the American
Psychiatric Nurses Association, change management is based on the recognition and
understanding that nurses work in various specialty. In their diverse roles, they can work with
diverse environments and roles. As a result, they are in a better position to provide ideas that can
help improve mental health care in their states (American Nurses Association, 2019). Another
benefit is that APNA fights for issues that directly and indirectly affect its members. This
includes but not limited to issues of violence in workplaces, reforms in Medicare, equal
distribution of health care services, safe staffing of nurses and protecting healthcare workers’ in
all specialties. To enhance quality health care service delivery in nursing, APNA empowers its
members by ensuring that there is sufficient supply of skilled health workers, enhancing
economical use of health care services by providing support vulnerable communities and
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individuals in the society, optimization of preventive services and community-based services
through innovation and cost-effective measures and ensuring that the public has access to
standard and essential health care services (American Nurses Association, 2019).
Importance of networking in Psychiatry specialty field
Networking in all nursing fields is of great importance, it helps in improving knowledge
and skills to enhance quality in service delivery, supports career advancement and also provides
support for other colleagues. Networking in the nursing profession can either be based on a
clinical environment or through nursing associations and organizations (Sherman & Cohn,
2018). Psychiatric nurses like all other nurses involved in direct care have the opportunity to
grow in their profession, get opportunities to advance in education, become members of various
nursing organizations and become certified through networking. Professional networking
through collaboration promotes evidence-based practices. For example, as a member of APNA
one has the opportunity to network with other nurses in the same specialty field. As a team, they
can be able to solve threatening issues through sharing skills on best practices and research
findings from psychiatric practice. Networking also reduces the need to recreate the wheel of
nursing practice as an individual, this enhances high-quality service delivery patient care and
creates consistency in evidence-based practice (Sherman & Cohn, 2018). For young nurses,
networking provides the opportunity for a new career and securing a job. APNA is a form of
institutional networking for psychiatric nurses, it creates networking opportunities for its
members through professional, operational and strategic networking (Nursing.org, 2019).
Operational networking comprises managers, employees, colleagues and other professionals
working outside the psychiatric field that assist in enhancing the effectiveness of service delivery
in this field.
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How APNA informs its members on health care changes
APNA is founded on a solid organizational and management structure that comprises of
an elected board of directors and other leaders. The roles and responsibilities of these leaders
who include task forces and committees are to govern the association through a system that is
guided by strategic plans. They are responsible for addressing and providing solutions to
important issues affecting the members. These issues include policy development, change
management, education matters, and administration. These task forces and committees aim at
maximizing members’ involvement through the development and establishment of online
communities. The task force structure allows experts input and communication of information on
changes and other issues that affect the psychiatric-mental health nursing community (American
Psychiatric Nurses Association, 2019).
Psychiatric nurses’ opportunities for continuing education and professional development
American Psychiatric Nurses Association provides its members with the opportunity to
continue with education related to psychiatric-mental health nursing. The association has
education-based programs that are well-stablished to support continued learning and professional
development. APNA is accredited by the “American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission”
to provided quality online and live nursing education programs for continued learning and
enhancing professionalism (American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 2019). For example,
APNA holds an annual conference that is significant in focusing on issues affecting this field and
initiating change programs in education or practice. The three days’ conference focuses on
specific education continuity for advanced practice and RN-PMH. During this time education
and research on psychiatric medication are provided to nurses in this field. APNA also provides
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eLearning programs where nurses can access education at no or little cost (American Psychiatric
Nurses Association, 2019).
References
American Nurses Association. (2019). About ANA
American Psychiatric Nurses Association. (2019). American Psychiatric Nurses Association.
Nursing.org. (2019). Professional Networking in Nursing.
Sherman, R. O., & Cohn, T. M. (2018). Why your nursing networks matter.