It Pays to Belong (Membership in Tennessee Nurses Association‪)‬

On the Tennessee Nurses Association (TNA) Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) listserv, which any RN can join, regardless of whether they are a TNA member or even an APRN, there recently was a discussion about the cost of belonging to TNA and a litany of reasons why nurses do not belong. There were those that spoke in favor of membership, but, as is often the case with listservs, various forms of social media, and other forms of public dialogue, the negatives outweighed the positives. We must recognize that the tone of the listserv conversation does not necessarily represent the composite opinion of nurses across the state. But, I would be remiss to not acknowledge the seriousness of the issues regarding membership and the evidence of pervasive issues. It is in this context that I will promote the idea that it pays to belong to TNA. I will outline why all nurses should belong to their professional organization by discussing the mission of TNA and responding to specific assertions made on the listserv about membership. Membership Challenges