The Benefits of Professional Membership and Networking
By: Sara Angelilli, DNP, MS, RN, CNOR, NPD-BC
Published: 8/14/2025
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Nursing professional organizations are arranged at the state and national level to facilitate professional development, advocate for nursing practice, support evidence-based patient care, and provide networking opportunities. Examples of state organizations include the state nurses association and nurse leaders’ organization. Examples of national organizations include the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN), American Nurses Association (ANA), American Society of Peri-Anesthesia Nurses (ASPAN), Association of Nursing Professional Development (ANPD), and American Organization of Nurse Leaders (AONL). A list of all national and state nursing organizations can be found at Nurse.org. Generally speaking, professional organizations offer continuing education credits, professional development and patient advocacy resources, mentoring opportunities, support for legislative activity, and access to job opportunities.
Finding the Best Fit
With all the options, you will want to reflect on your personal interests and goals when selecting one or more professional organization memberships. You may be very passionate about a subspecialty of nursing, which can help you narrow your search.
Engaging in Committees
Within the membership, you will find additional opportunities for engagement on committees, which usually have a narrow focus, such as education planning, legislative action, or research. Professional organizations offer platforms that vary in size and scope; this information can be used to select opportunities that facilitate your growth in a way that best suits your personality. Not sure where to start? You can ask your manager, educator, or mentor for recommendations.
Connecting with a Chapter
Your national membership will connect you to a local chapter or the electronic chapter (e-Chapter). The local chapters offer membership meetings with education and networking to foster connections between nurses from different hospitals or ambulatory surgery settings in the same region. Fostering relationships or networking through a local chapter can provide you with invaluable support for your personal and professional development.
Networking
Networking is defined as, “the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions.”1 Your peers can become trusted listeners who give you perspective when things are not going well and celebrate with you when they are going well. Peers with more experience can help you learn new skills, challenge you to achieve goals, and connect you with career opportunities or projects that stretch you out of your comfort zone.
It may feel overwhelming as a new nurse to start networking with a room full of people who you do not know. You will want to think of a few questions you can use as conversation starters like, “What do you enjoy most about your job?” or “What is one piece of advice you wish you heard earlier in your career?” Of course, you also can ask about where they work or where they went to school to start to identify some common interests. Additional networking tips are provided in Sidebar 1.
Sidebar 1. Networking Tips
- Build friendly relationships by introducing yourself to new people
- Have two or three ice-breaker questions in mind to start conversations with new contacts
- Think about how you can add value to others through encouragement, information, or connections
- Ask thoughtful follow-up questions and practice active listening skills to build trust in the relationship
- Touch base regularly with your contacts to catch up and ask how you can support each other
When you find peers who you click with, you should exchange contact information so that you can build a relationship through regular touch points that offer encouragement and accountability. With a little practice, you will learn that it is easy and fun to meet new people and learn from different perspectives.
References:
- Merriam-Webster. Accessed August 14, 2025.
AORN Resources
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