Respond to post in 2 paragraphs, add additional information. Ask 2 questions. (2 references APA 7th edition)
- Choose a nursing association: American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
- Discuss the mission and purpose of the organization: Their mission is to drive excellence in acute and critical care areas for nurses, patients and families. AACN envisions a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and families where critical care nurses can make their contribution.
- How is the organization governed? AACN is governed by a board in which the individuals holding positions must be elected for. There are three bodies: AACN board of directors, AACN Certification Corporation board of directions, and AACN Certification Corporation Nominating Committee which partner with AACN members, the chief executive officer, and national staff to accomplish the vision and mission they have set for themselves.
- What is its legislative agenda? AACN encompasses all of critical care which in turn allows for diversity in advocacy initiatives. The current legislative agenda for AACN are Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (S. 4182), Improving Care and Access to Nurses (I CAN) Act (H.R. 8812) to remove outdates barriers that prevent APRNs from practicing to their full extent of education and training, and many more to help support nurses, the public, and healthcare as a whole. To increase its influence AACN partners with the Nursing Community Coalition (NCC), collection of over 60 nursing organizations, that work directly with government agencies and lawmakers.
- In your opinion, is the agenda relevant at this time? AACN is a large organization who has played an integral part in legislative action. The two legislative bills they support listed above are relevant as nurses have an increased risk for workplace violence not from colleagues, but from patients. I believe Improve Care and Access to Nurses is of upmost importance since we need to expand our primary care and APRN abilities to help care for the individuals in need. Allowing nurses to practice to their fullest extent is a key initiative of Healthy People 2020 (Campos de Andrade & Alvarez, 2021).
- Have you or would you join this organization? Discuss your rationale. Yes I have joined this organziation and have been a member since November 2019. The yearly membership fee is about $80 USD, however you have access to endless evidence based articles and resources to continue education. AACN also provides study materials if the member would like to obtain their critical care registered nurse certification (CCRN). They promote and host webinars, conferences, and small group chapters to allow networking between professionals. I believe this organization has much to offer and can be a great resource for a novice and experienced nurse. I was not aware that they are activists in the legislative community and am excited to become more involved in this area now that I feel more educated on the various topics.
Reference
Campos de Andrade, N., & Alvarez, C. (2021). Policy approaches to address health disparities. In D. J. Mason, E. Dickson, M. R. McLemore, & G. A. Perez (Eds), Policy and politics in nursing and health care (8th ed., pp. 183-190). Elsevier Saunders.
