As I travel around the country, I have the pleasure of interacting with nursing professional development (NPD) specialists from every size and type of facility. Each has a variety of experiences and specialties. In addition, each has a personal reason why he or she is working in NPD. Some work in large NPD departments, whereas some are "singlets," responsible for education throughout their entire facility. Regardless of why they work in NPD or how long they have been in our NPD specialty or their clinical specialty, I always ask them if they are a member of the National Nursing Staff Development Organization (NNSDO). I must admit that at times, I am surprised to hear responses such as "No, I've been in NPD for so many years I wouldn't get anything out of being a member" or, perhaps, "What is NNSDO?" It is responses like these that tell me that we (NNSDO) have work to do to engage potential new members as well as to continue to engage current members. With this in mind, this issue's column will be a walk through of all that NNSDO has to offer, whether you are new to NPD or a seasoned NPD specialist.
PURPOSE
The purpose of NNSDO is to foster the art and science of NPD, promote the image and professional status of NPD, encourage and support nursing research and application of research findings in practice, and provide a platform for nurses engaged in professional development practice to discuss issues and make decisions related to the continuing evolution of the field of NPD.
VISION
2010 (With Continuation Into 2011)
The NNSDO will establish itself as the most influential authority and thought leadership body for NPD, through focusing our efforts on data-driven outcomes grounded by a comprehensive knowledge base.
2013
By 2013, NNSDO will be recognized as the most influential NPD authority across all healthcare disciplines, providing state-of-the-art, evidence-based education, resources, and research support that meets the needs of its more than 10,000 members worldwide.
MEMBERSHIP
The economy is tight, and everyone is spending their money only after making decisions as to whether the purchase will be value added. Where can you get a great value for $0.26 per day? Yes, that is correct; membership in NNSDO costs only $0.26 per day or $95 per year. This is much less than what many of us spend every day for a cup of coffee. With this membership, you get an array of benefits, including the following:
* Bimonthly subscription to NNSDO's official journal, the Journal for Nurses in Staff Development
* Bimonthly newsletter-TrendLines
* Discounts on convention attendance
* Discounts on NNSDO publications
* Discounts on certification and recertification fees in NPD through the American Nurses Credentialing Center
* Networking through the NNSDO's Web site, including access to the members only section
* Mentorship through the NNSDO Resource Network
* Access to the NNSDO List Serve
* Access to online NPD continuing education (CE) courses
* Subscription to CE Direct
NNSDO WEB SITE
As an NNSDO member, you have access to the nonmember and member-only portions of the Web site. On the site, you will find links to a variety of nonmember pages, including the online bookstore, listing of local affiliates, listing of special interest groups such as geriatrics, NNSDO Event Calendar, and links to the various NNSDO committees. As a member, your access is expanded to include access to the membership directory, which enables you to search for individual members, and the Forum as well as List Serve, which enables you to read, respond, and post questions or comments on topics of interest. Recent Forum and List Serve topics include using data to support the NPD business case, process used for identifying preceptors, and the ever-popular competency and competency validation topic.
WHY JOIN?
Throughout the years, society has formed groups of "like types." These are groups of individuals who share a common purpose, knowledge, and challenges. Membership in NNSDO gives you access to more than 3,000 like-type professionals. My top reasons for joining NNSDO include the following:
* Access to experts in NPD
* Discount on NPD certification fees
* Annual convention
* List Serve membership
* NPD specialty products (e.g., core curriculum)
* Networking and learning opportunities
* Opportunity to get involved and "give back" to NPD
* Mentoring opportunities
* Opportunity to meet great like-minded people!
Therefore, for those individuals who tell me they are not members because they have been in NPD for so many years, why not join so that others can learn from you? Think of all you have learned throughout your years in NPD. How it would have been nice if some of what you learned was not learned the hard way. Everyone can benefit from finding a mentor; consider becoming a member so you can become a mentor to someone just beginning their NPD career or to the singlet who needs someone to just run ideas by or perhaps to brainstorm with.
For those of you who are new to NPD, where else can you tap into the collective wisdom of more than 3,000 nurses, all working within the same specialty of NPD? Several years ago, I had the opportunity to have several of the clinical nurse specialists from my department join me at the national convention. Every year, they faithfully attended their clinical specialty conference; however, they had never participated in the NPD convention. Here is a quote from one of them: "The convention was unbelievable! The opportunity to network with over 700 participants was incredible. It is nice to know that many of us are dealing with the same challenges and opportunities and coming up with the same solutions!" As an NNSDO member, I love the fact that, at the click of a mouse, I can access hundreds who are more than willing to share what they are doing or have developed on any given topic." Two years later, when the CNS quoted above was asked to reflect on her NNSDO membership, here is what she had to say: "My membership in NNSDO has saved me hours of development time and has brought a level of competence and professionalism in nursing professional development that I never had before. The collective membership mindset of sharing selflessly is wonderful. I cannot image not being a member."
So, how about joining now so you can take advantage of all NNSDO has to offer?