Professional Organizations
Joining a professional organization can actually become another form of education. These organizations exist to build a network of professionals, keep industry news and information available, and to promote public awareness of the product or service that the industry provides. There are usually some qualifying criteria to join, such as level of education reached or amount of time employed in the field. Eligibility may be coupled with a required membership fee, usually due annually. Some organizations with expanded missions, such as wellness or education, also ask members to serve as community volunteers or mentors.
Many feel that participation in professional organizations are reserved for people that are already working in the field. However, most organizations feel that student members or members that are interested in the field are imperative to their growth and development. Benefits offered to professional members often include:
- annual conferences and celebrations
- continuing education workshops
- newsletters
- discounts with vendors
- reduced cost advertising in related publications
- relationships with peers and leaders
- listings in professional directories
Links relevant to allied health administration and health care management
- American College of Healthcare Executives
An international professional society of 30,000 healthcare executives who lead our nation's hospitals, healthcare systems, and other healthcare organizations. Its annual Congress on Healthcare Management draws more than 4,000 participants each year. Known for its prestigious credentialing and educational programs and its ground-breaking research and career development and public policy program. Publications include the Journal of Healthcare Management and Healthcare Executive magazine. - Association of University Programs in Health Administration
A global network of colleges, universities, faculty, individuals and health care organizations dedicated to the improvement of health care delivery through excellence in health administration education. Membership represents more than 230 colleges, universities, and organizations to include the premier Baccalaureate and Masters degree programs in health administration education in the United States and Canada. - National Institute for Health Care Management Research and Education Foundation
A non-profit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving the effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of America's health care system.
Links specific to dental hygiene:
- American Dental Association
Professional association of dentists committed to the public's oral health, ethics, science and professional advancement; leading a unified profession through initiatives in advocacy, education, research and the development of standards. The Commission on Dental Accreditation operates under its auspices to serve the public by establishing, maintaining and applying standards that ensure the quality and continuous improvement of dental and dental-related education and reflect the evolving practice of dentistry. Its encompasses dental, advanced dental and allied dental education programs. - American Dental Hygienists' Association
Formed to develop communication and mutual cooperation among dental hygienists. Today, it is the largest national organization representing the professional interests of the more than 120,000 registered dental hygienists in the United States. - Sigma Phi Alpha
The national honor society of the dental hygiene profession whose membership is comprised of elected dental hygiene educators and of graduates from accredited dental hygiene programs with high scholastic achievement. Its purpose is to promote, recognize, and honor scholarship, leadership, and service among dental hygiene students and graduates of dental hygiene programs.
Links specific to nursing:
- American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
World’s largest specialty nursing organization representing the interests of more than 400,000 critical care nurses. Dedicated to creating a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families where critical care nurses make their optimal contribution. Its purpose is to promote the health and welfare of those experiencing critical illness or injury by advancing the art and science of critical care nursing and promoting environments that facilitate comprehensive professional nursing practice. - American Assembly for Men in Nursing
This organization provides a framework for nurses as a group to meet, discuss, and influence factors which affect men as nurses. Membership is open to any nurse, male or female, to better facilitate discussion and to meet its most important objective, strengthening and humanizing health care. - American Nurses Association
The only full-service professional organization representing the nation's 2.7 million registered nurses through its 54 constituent member associations. It advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. - Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools
Along with the International Commission on Healthcare Professions, this organization is an immigration-neutral, non-profit organization and is an internationally recognized authority on education, registration, and licensure of nurses and other healthcare professionals worldwide. It protects the public by ensuring that nurses and other healthcare professionals educated in countries other than the United States are eligible and qualified to meet licensure, immigration and other practice requirements in the United States. - National Black Nurses Association
A non-profit organization which represents approximately 150,000 African American nurses from the USA, Eastern Caribbean and Africa, with 76 chartered chapters nationwide. Its mission is to provide a forum for collective action by African American nurses to "investigate, define and determine what the health care needs of African Americans are and to implement change to make available to African Americans and other minorities health care commensurate with that of the larger society." - National League for Nursing
Professional organization of nurse educators whose mission is to advance quality nursing education that prepares the nursing workforce to meet the needs of diverse populations in an ever-changing health care environment. - National Student Nurses Association
A pre-professional association for nursing students which prepares them for involvement in professional associations and leadership positions in healthcare agencies upon graduation. - Sigma Theta Tau International
The Honor Society of Nursing provides leadership and scholarship in practice, education and research to enhance the health of all people. It supports the learning and professional development of members who strive to improve nursing care worldwide. - National Association of Hispanic Nurses
This organization is designed and committed to work toward improvement of the quality of health and nursing care for Hispanic consumers and toward providing equal access to educational, professional, and economic opportunities for Hispanic nurses. It strives to serve the nursing and health care delivery needs of the Hispanic community and the professional needs of Hispanic nurses.