Is the ANA worth it????

1 I am confused by the threads and posts I have been reading here about the ANA. Today I renewed my membership. At over $300, I would like to think it's worth it. But I'm not sure. Some posters think the new Safe Staffing Saves Lives initiative of the ANA will help the average nurse; some think it's just more of the same old same old. Some groups are leaving the ANA; some are leaving the UAN. Can anybody explain what's going on? Thanks from the bedside.
NO, the ANA is not worth it. They are too busy supporting their corporate counterparts than they are about nurses. I am glad that michigan left the association. For an association that wants more rights for nurses, they are awfully contradictory as far as discrimination goes. They sure do look down upon ADN-holding nurses and LPNs.I'm all for a bill that help decrease the patient ratio to nurse. However, if that bill says nothing about how the acuity of the patients on a particular floor should be devied up, then it's crap.

Quote from Michigan RNNO, the ANA is not worth it.

I'll bite as an ANA member!!And I actually think in general everything posted above.But for me - I'm in a non-union state (and I mean REALLY non-union) and my reasoning is that it is better to change from within that complain from outside.I also support the Center for Nursing Advocacy. And am holding out for a nationwide domination of a perfected CNA. But don't tell my boss - she already says I'm way too much of "her little activist." I use my ANA membership to (hopefully) lend credibility to my political letters and to keep informed. Do I trust that the ANA is on my side as a bedside nurse? Well, I don't think they are against me... but they are just like management - they play both sides of the fence to benefit their own bottom line. And if I can be inside saying "hey, wait a minute..." then maybe things can get a little bit better for those of us that actually touch patients.Maybe.But that's my reasoning. Maybe I just like throwing money away. Kristen

Quote from Michigan RNNO, the ANA is not worth it. They are too busy supporting their corporate counterparts than they are about nurses. I am glad that michigan left the association. For an association that wants more rights for nurses, they are awfully contradictory as far as discrimination goes. They sure do look down upon ADN-holding nurses and LPNs.I'm all for a bill that help decrease the patient ratio to nurse. However, if that bill says nothing about how the acuity of the patients on a particular floor should be devied up, then it's crap.

I never joined because I didn't see that the ANA supported the nurses who provided direct patient care. Recently, however, more of my objection is based on the organization's overt political bias. While it's reasonable for a professional organization to support legislation that is relevant to the organization's goals and membership, it's not acceptable for that support to become unduly partisan. Instead, I spend my membership dollars on specialty organizations that better represent my needs as a nurse.

Same here. I got my ANCC cert renewal but cannot get a "discount" on the price because NONE of the organizations I belong to will work with the ANA. Not surprised there.As far as that "safe staffing" campaign they have going.....I was going through a box of old nursing stuff recently and found buttons from 10-20 yrs ago that the ANA passed out for all us staff nurses to wear. It was the EVERY PT NEEDS A NURSE campaign. Same thing, different name. And all these years later it's only gotten worse instead of better.If you look at the ANA and their affiliated state NAs, you will see nearly everyone has a mile long alphabet soup trail behind their names. Talk to them and see how long they actually worked at the bedside and are they wiping butts, giving shots, passing meds, and prepping patients now? Doubtful. The leaders have lost the reality of clinical nursing. Even APNs who are clinically active do not share the same struggles as a clinical nurse. I will use the ANA for some things and I might support certain activities such as their recent lobby in Washington against importing nurses, but I am not a paying memeber because they have never shown me that they have the best interests of the public and nursing at heart in their overall activities.

I'm with Pagandeva. I should be an RN by the end of the summer and I will never join an organization that doesn't want me NOW.

The situations that affect nursing affects ALL of us; LPNs included, and this is why I probably would not support them even if I did decide to go RN.

Quote from nfahren05...more of my objection is based on the organization's overt political bias. While it's reasonable for a professional organization to support legislation that is relevant to the organization's goals and membership, it's not acceptable for that support to become unduly partisan. Instead, I spend my membership dollars on specialty organizations that better represent my needs as a nurse.

Quote from KojakI think your comment speaks to both ANA and CNA. At one time or another in my career I have been a member of all three different organizations-ANA, CNA and a specialty organization. I found the only one that truly supports my education and growth as a professional is my speciality organization. (And I get this for $90 per year, as opposed to $1000+ for CNA and $250 for ANA.)

I would like to know what other nurses think about the following organizations such as the Kentucky Board of Nursing-Have they done ANYTHING FOR YOU? They've never done anything for me. The ANA, they've DONE ANYTHING FOR ME-NOR THE Kentucky Nursing Association-NOTHING FOR ME! All of these organizations work for the "BIG Business" from the top down, with an autocratic leadership concept!OLENURSE

I don't belong to any of the associations and never have. Just have better things to spend my money on I think. Nor do I have the extra money for it to begin with!