Professional Nursing Associations
Introduction
Professional nursing associations are known to be open organizations for health professionals. The organizations cater to the needs of the nurses in various ways depending on their area of specialty. Therefore, there are several nursing organizations all over the world. The joining process is usually simple hence encouraging most professionals to be part of them. One of the prestigious nursing organizations is the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA).
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association
HPNA is an organization that deals with nurses who specialize in taking care of terminally ill patients and was set up in 1986. It has approximately over eleven thousand health professionals (“Join,” n.d.). Their practice settings are usually around patients with chronic diseases at all stages and various ages. Therefore, membership in the association is vital for nurses specializing in palliative nursing.
Purpose, Vision, and Mission
The goal of the nursing association is to share experiences, information, and ideas — the organization purposes to promote the understanding of hospice and palliative nursing using shared knowledge and skills. Besides, the association encourages research and studies in hospice and palliative nursing (“Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association,” n.d.). On the other hand, the association shares its vision and mission with two different organizations. The vision is to transform the care and culture of serious illness while the mission is to advance expert care in serious illness (“Affiliated Society: Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing,” 2018). The objectives of the organization culminate to competence, education, leadership, advocacy, and research.
Membership Benefits
Besides improving the resume, being a member of the association guarantees access to journals such as the Journal of Palliative Medicine and the Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing (“Join,” n.d.). The members can subscribe for the professional journals online. People can vote on issues related to concepts in hospice and palliative care as well. The association also offers discounts on specific products and services such as the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center certification and recertification exams (“Join,” n.d.). Subsequently, the organization offers online courses and certifications. The members mentor each other and learn leadership skills which they apply at their institutions (“5 Important Professional Nursing Associations”, 2018). As a result, membership provides the necessary support network that comes with the difficult task of their specialty.
Importance of Networking
Networking enables nurses to obtain information from other specialists colleagues hence ensuring that the decisions they make are up to date with the best current expertise in chronic illness management. Besides, the interaction establishes rapport. The rapport enables the nurses to work together and deliver integrated care especially if one institution lacks the necessary services (Spruyt, 2011).
Conversely, networking builds new clinical and professional relationships which ensure that institutions in competition for similar resources work collaboratively. The collaboration is useful in dealing with palliative care referral barriers which prolong symptom control (Spruyt, 2011). Furthermore, networking can allow nurses to research and educate each other hence increasing expertise.
Networking Opportunities
HPNA provides networking opportunities through the yearly events where various people come together and interact in a friendly environment. They also have a members-only section website where the people can conduct member searches and communicate (“Join,” n.d.). Furthermore, the association has over fifty chapters all over the United States, and it holds local chapter meetings to ensure the members interact as they share their experiences and ideas.
Information Exchange in the Organization
The association uses monthly e-newsletters to inform its member of the organization’s activities. As for health care practice changes, the organization holds conferences and seminars such as the Leadership Weekend and clinical practice forums to inform its members (“Association News,” n.d.). Moreover, the Special Interest Groups (SIGs) receive email messages which suggest the discussion of the most recent developments in palliative care. The members also post their ideas on online discussion boards and the SIGs ensure people interact and share the relevant information (“Association News,” n.d.). Besides, the online courses that the association offers provide up to date information in the nursing field.
Development Opportunities
HPNA is intent on providing avenues for continuing education and professional development. There are over seventy-five online e-learning courses such as the continuing nursing educational credits (CNEs) (“Join,” n.d.). The organization has self-assessment tests (SAEs) online as well. The association also encourages people to pursue education by providing exam discounts. Besides, there is membership pricing on educational products and services.
Likewise, the members-only section website provides cultural diversity and educational resources as well as blogging avenues which contain the relevant information for development. Subsequently, the organization organizes researches for nurses. They give a particular research focus and guide the Hospice and Palliative Nursing Foundation (HPNF) on the funding (Lunney et al., 2015). They also explain to all stakeholders the significance of undertaking the researches. In collaboration with HPNF, some people receive scholarships.
Conclusion
Summarily, HPNA is a significant professional association that demonstrates the importance of being a member. The organization is intent on offering quality palliative care through education, advocacy, and sharing of experiences and ideas. There are membership benefits such as discounts, networking and development opportunities. The association updates the nurses through conferences, courses, and SIGs. Nurses should join professional organizations for their benefit.
References
Affiliated Society : Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing. (2018). Retrieved from https://journals.lww.com/jhpn/Pages/affiliatedsociety.aspx
Association News. Retrieved from https://www.nursingcenter.com/journalarticle?Article_ID=3139912&Journal_ID=260877&Issue_ID=3139908
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association. Retrieved from https://www.nhpco.org/link/hospice-and-palliative-nurses-association
5 Important Professional Nursing Associations. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.bestmasterofscienceinnursing.com/5-important-professional-nursing-associations/
Join. Retrieved from https://advancingexpertcare.org/HPNA/Membership/Join.aspx
Lunney, J. R., Buck, H., Brody, A. A., Campbell, M. L., Fasolino, T., Goebel, J. R., … & Raudonis, B. M. (2015). Hospice and palliative nurses association 2015-2018 research agenda. Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, 17(2), 119-127.
Spruyt, O. (2011). Team networking in palliative care. Indian journal of palliative care, 17(Suppl), S17.