In my opinion, professionalism involves active engagement in one's discipline through association membership, writing or speaking on topics pertinent to the discipline, engaging in service through committee membership or other leadership roles, and participating in the governance of the organization. If you are like me, that can be a daunting challenge if you belong to numerous professional organizations. I can quickly name off 10 professional organizations I belong to and actively engage in by paying dues, serving on committees, attending and speaking at conferences, and participating in voting for organizational leadership. This engagement does take time and money, but when I think of the benefits I gain from belonging to these organizations and my belief that professionalism is not "optional" for nurses, I hold myself to the expectation that I will actively engage as a member in each of these associations.
One example of engagement in association membership involves voting. I am typically saddened (and frankly, also angry) when statistics for voting are released by our organization, the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA), and our sister organization, the Canadian Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (CSGNA), each year. For instance, last year, only 12% of the SGNA membership participated in voting. That is appalling to me. We have the opportunity to participate in electing our leadership but treat the privilege flippantly. I've heard colleagues give the excuse that they don't know any of the members up for election. No excuse! A simple click online will take you to the biographical information about each candidate as well as their personal statement about why they want to serve the organization. As a member, you have the responsibility to read this information and make a choice based on your best available evidence about each candidate. Participation sends a message that you care about our organization, how we impact our profession and ultimately the patients we serve every day. Apathy (i.e. lack of participation in voting) communicates a very different picture. To those looking at those statistics, lack of participation says nurses don't care about professionalism or shaping the future of nursing and healthcare.
The same holds true for our local, state, and national elections. Nurses are the largest group of healthcare providers in the United States (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, 2006), yet we fail to engage in voting for our governmental leaders. We are certainly quick to share our opinions about the challenges facing healthcare in our country, but when it comes to actively engaging in electing our leaders and then dialoguing with those elected to influence health policy, many nurses can't be bothered, don't make the effort, or minimize their contributions to the process with the excuse "I'm just one vote." One vote added with another vote and another eventually makes a difference. But if your vote isn't there, the difference won't happen.
You have heard the adage, "Be the change you want to see in the world" (often attributed to Ghandi, though not his exact words) (Lewis, 2011; Morton, 2011). Participating in SGNA (and other professional organizations) provides a forum to shape our discipline and impact our practice. Membership isn't just about what you get-it's about what you give. Give your opinion by participating in voting. Give your expertise by writing for Gastroenterology Nursing or presenting at a national or regional meeting. Give your expertise in service on a committee, running for office, or serving as a reviewer for Gastroenterology Nursing. Give your time to improve gastroenterology practice by applying for the SGNA Evidence Based Practice Fellowship. Actively engage in the organization. Association membership isn't all about you.
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