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NRS 430V Assignment Professional Associations Membership

NRS 430V Assignment Professional Associations Membership

NRS 430 Professional Associations Membership

Professional nursing organizations play an important role in establishing and sustaining energy and ideas, as well as taking a proactive approach to issues affecting healthcare in general and nursing in particular. These organizations give nurses a platform to advocate for their own needs and the needs of their patients. Subscribing to these professional nursing organizations provides a platform for one to further their education, obtain certification opportunities, and improve role-related competencies (Villeneuve & Betker, 2020). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) as a professional organization relevant to my field.

My experience with my leadership so far has been mostly positive. There was one instance that I will never forget when this executive leader, who is supposed to hold one of the highest positions in the hospital, came to visit our unit during our morning huddles. We discussed the new staffing method the hospital is about to implement, known as the NHPPD (Nursing actual Hours Per Patient Day) method. Of course, questions about patient acuities came up. Our unit is known for caring for acute medical psyche geriatric patients and is the designated acute medical-surgical- COVID unit. Our concern, of course, is patient acuities. The presenter did not answer many of our questions directly or clearly. Finally, the executive leader said, “If you are not happy with the staffing method, the door is open for you.” For us staff, it simply means shut up and suck it up, or you may be free to resign. I understand that being a leader is stressful, and you may not be able to please everybody, but still, you are being looked up to, and your knowledge, decisions, and attitude as a leader your subordinates are following as an inspiration. Patience is a virtue. A leader should be a force to calm down and bring balance. People look up to you for answers and solutions if there is an issue. Clearly, that leader did not show patience or compassion to her staff.

Professional organizations play an important role in the development of advanced practice nurses. Advanced practice nurses utilize them as platforms for advancing their knowledge and skills in practice and networking purposes. Often, advanced practice nurses belong to professional associations that align with their areas of specialization. Therefore, this paper explores a professional association that I may belong to in the future as a specialist in geriatrics nursing.

Organizational Description

I am interested in the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA). GAPNA is a professional organization formed to represent advanced practice nurses, researchers, clinicians, and educators’ interests. It advocates the interests of healthcare providers involved in advancing and practice of caring for the elderly. GAPNA provides healthcare providers in elderly care and practice, opportunities for research, leadership, education, networking, advocacy, and advancement of evidence-based care. The mission of the association is to promote excellence in advanced practice nursing for the health and wellbeing of the elderly. Its vision is to continue being trusted leaders for the expert care for the elderly. The goals of the association include advocating quality care for the elderly, promoting professional development, offering continuing gerontological education, and educating the population about issues related to aging. GAPNA members enjoy several benefits from the association (gapna.org, n.d.-a). They include the ability to network with other professionals, continuing education, information about evidence-based practice, and enhanced involvement activities that advance the care of the elderly.

Importance of Networking

Geriatric nurse specialists should network for several reasons. First, networking informs geriatric nurse specialists about new practices and developments in the care of the elderly. They learn about evidence-based interventions that optimize care outcomes of elderly patients, which can be used in their settings. Networking also informs geriatric nurses about transformations in their practice and their expected roles. For example, geriatric nurses learn about advances in geriatrics, new researches, and practice recommendations for their career advancement. Consequently, networking acts as an opportunity for personal and professional development for geriatric nurses (Rizany et al., 2018). Lastly, networking provides opportunities for spreading and promoting continuous improvement in healthcare. By connecting with other specialists in geriatrics, advanced practice nurses develop better insights into clinical pathways that can be adopted to drive sustained and continuous improvement in the safety, quality, and efficiency of elderly care. GAPNA creates networking opportunities for its members through scientific conferences. It organizes scientific conferences where members share information about evidence-based practices and guidelines for use in elderly care(gapna.org, n.d.-a). Members use the conferences to advance their knowledge in various issues affecting elderly care such as advocacy, research, education, and evidence-based practice.

How it Keeps Members Informed

GAPNA ensures that its members remain informed about health care changes and changes to practice that affects geriatrics. One of the ways it achieves this objective is through scientific conferences. It uses scientific conferences to inform its members about practice changes they should incorporate into patient care. The organization also publishes evidence-based information about practice changes. For example, it publishes current guidelines for geriatrics on its website to enable access to its members. It also supports inter-professional collaboration initiatives that enhance the competencies of the providers in elderly care(Kaya &Boz, 2019). GAPNA also has online resources accessed through its library for use by its members in learning about new practice changes. There is also the development of toolkits for new practice recommendations. Toolkits guide its members in implementing new changes in geriatric care, hence, standardized care. The last way in which GAPNA keeps its members informed about health care changes and changes to practice that affects elderly care is through social media (gapna.org, n.d.-a). It uses social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to inform its members about practice changes affecting their practice and patient care.

Opportunities for Continuing Education and Professional Development

Continuing education and professional development are important for geriatric nurses. GAPNA provides several opportunities for continuing education and professional development for its members. One of the ways is ensuring access to continuing education and professional development opportunities such as conferences to its members. GAPNA members have access to annual and pharmacology conferences that enhance their knowledge and skills in optimizing care outcomes in elderly care. Members also have access to an online library that enables them to obtain current, evidence-based information about geriatrics(gapna.org, n.d.-b). The organization also has a clinical advisor program where members get information about career paths they can explore to achieve their desired professional development goals.

Conclusion

Professional organizations play an important role in nursing practice. They provide opportunities for personal and professional development for nurses. GAPNA is an example of a professional association that I will belong in the future. It advances the education, practice, research, and advocacy of healthcare providers involved in elderly care. It also provides its members’ opportunities for continuing educational and professional development. Therefore, I believe that its membership will enable me to achieve my personal and professional goals as a geriatric nurse.

References

gapna.org. (n.d.-a).About | Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA). Retrieved January 12, 2022, from https://www.gapna.org/about

gapna.org. (n.d.-b).Geriatric Nursing Journal | Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA). Retrieved January 12, 2022, from https://www.gapna.org/publications/geriatric-nursing-journal

Kaya, A., &Boz, İ. (2019).The development of the Professional Values Model in Nursing.Nursing Ethics, 26(3), 914–923. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733017730685

Rizany, I., Hariyati, R. T. S., &Handayani, H. (2018).Factors that affect the development of nurses’ competencies: A systematic review.EnfermeríaClínica, 28, 154–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1130-8621(18)30057-3

Details:
Choose a professional nursing organization that relates to the nursing profession or your clinical practice area. Assuming that you are the chairperson of membership for the organization, create a full-page flyer designed to recruit new members to the professional organization. In your flyer, include:
1. The function of the organization, as well as its mission and vision.
2. Potential advantages of membership in the organization.
3. Provide resource information for new members, including contact information, membership requirements, and organizational endorsements (i.e., what other members or other organizations are saying about the selected organization).
4. Create a topic for an upcoming meeting that would appeal to your target audience.

Professional Associations Membership

Professional nursing organizations have a critical role in establishing and building energy, ideas, and have a proactive approach to issues that impact healthcare in general and nursing in particular. These associations provide a platform for nurses to advocate for their needs and welfare as well as those of their clients. Subscribing to these professional nursing organizations offers one a platform to enhance their education, get certification opportunities and enhance role-associated competences (Villeneuve & Betker, 2020). The essence of this paper is to discuss the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) as a professional organization related to my area of specialty.

Description of the AANP

The American Nurses Association (ANA) posits that nurses need professional development as part of the lifelong learning where they engage in enhancing and maintaining their competence, professional nursing practice and getting support to attain their personal career goals. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is a professional nursing organization for nurses who specialize as practitioners in different areas of scope in nursing care. With a membership of over 119,000 nurses across the nation, AANP comprise of all NPs and NP students and individuals or entities that are interested in the NP practice and role (Mlambo et al., 2021). The association works to enhance patient care and advancement of the NP practice.

AANP’s mission is to empower all NPs to improve quality health care in their practice, through advanced education, advocacy, research, and healthcare leadership.

The leadership in the association comprises nurse practitioners who volunteer their resources to ascertain that NPs, their patients and health populations have a voice when important health care issues arise. Being a member of the AANP offers one immense benefits that include access to research works, training, seminars and conferences about emerging nursing and healthcare trends (AANP, 2020). AANP is a proactive organization that advocates for NPs in different ways. These include the need to remove barriers and ensure that patients can secure full and direct access to NP services. The association has an advocacy center that allows it to champion for members’ issues at the federal level. The center has advocacy resources for members to learn and understand different aspects of advocacy at both state and federal levels.

Importance of Networking

Nurse practitioners are a critical component of effective care delivery. Networking helps nurse practitioners to expand their social and professional network and get colleagues who have similar perspectives and wish to enhance their professional abilities (Collins et al., 2021). Professional networking enables nurses to explore their specialties and the nursing field in general as they establish and develop strong support system within the healthcare community. Networking allows NPs and nursing graduates to get new opportunities and positions, discover new specialties and share their knowledge, research findings and best practices defining the nursing profession, especially the use of innovative models like evidence-based practice (EBP) to enhance patient care quality (Collins et al., 2021). Professional networking allows one to get new jobs and find their niche in the labor market as nurse practitioners.

Nursing organizations create networking opportunities for their members to enhance their professional development and attainment of career goals. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) creates numerous opportunities for its members to network through conferences and seminars. The association holds a national nursing convention each year to allow nurses to interact and attain more knowledge about the professional and the healthcare system (AANP, 2020). AANP is a leading specialty organization with members in different parts of the country and enables them to meet through its partners as it collaborates with corporations and other organizations to ensure that the over 325,000 NPs licensed to practice enhance health outcomes for their patients (AANP, 2020). These collaborations and partnerships are essential networking opportunities for the association’s members to gather information and enhance their professional development.

Keeping Members Informed

Professional organizations and associations play a critical role in informing their members about health care changes and practice changes that impact their specialty areas. AANP is a well-established and organized entity that conducts a host of activities to ensure that its members are informed about the transformation and changes occurring in the health care. The association collaborate with different federal bodies or agencies to ensure that it participates in policy development and implementation focused on improving healthcare outcomes (Price & Reichert, 2017). The association provides resources to its members that include research evidence and findings about best practices in the specialty to inform them about changes in practice. The association also encourages its members to participate in research studies to attain new knowledge and be informed about the most appropriate care interventions to enhance quality of care provided to patients.

Participation in policy making and implementation provides nurse practitioners the chance to understand and advocate changes in healthcare industry. As such, the association is an active advocacy agency and through these efforts, nurse practitioners get the chance to be informed about changing nature of the healthcare provision across care continuum.

Opportunities for Continuing Education and Professional Development

Nursing professional entails lifelong learning and professional development as captured by the Institute of Medicine’s report in 2010. Therefore, nurse practitioners must embrace opportunities to continue their education and embrace professional development as effective ways of enhancing quality of care they offer to patients in different care settings. The association offers its members opportunities for advanced education since it is a specialty organization implying that continual membership requires one to enhance their level of education (AANP, 2020). The association values professional development and encourages NPs to keep high standards of care by improving their practice competence, especially through cultural competency and application of evidence-based practice interventions to attain patient-centered care.  The association also offers opportunities for continuous education and professional development through provision of resources like journals and publications to members.

Conclusion

Professional nursing associations like the AANP play a critical role in the development of nurses to attain highest level of competence and expertise aimed at providing quality care. Joining these associations provides members with immense opportunities, especially in professional and career development. The organization also champions issues affecting practice authority for nurses in different states through legislation at state and federal levels.

References

American Association of Nurse Practitioner (AANP) (2020). About the American Association of

Nurse Practitioners. https://www.aanp.org/about/about-the-american-association-of-nurse-practitioners-aanp

Collins, J. E., Boden, L. I., Gundersen, D. A., Katz, J. N., Wagner, G. R., Sorensen, G., &

Williams, J. A. (2021). Workplace integrated safety and health program uptake in nursing

homes: associations with ownership. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(21), 11313. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111313

Mlambo, M., Silén, C., & McGrath, C. (2021). Lifelong learning and nurses’ continuing

professional development, a metasynthesis of the literature. BMC nursing, 20(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00579-2

Price, S., & Reichert, C. (2017). The importance of continuing professional development to

career satisfaction and patient care: meeting the needs of novice to mid-to late-career nurses throughout their career span. Administrative Sciences, 7(2), 17. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci7020017

Villeneuve, M., & Betker, C. (2020). Nurses, nursing associations, and health systems evolution

in Canada. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/15271544211050611

While APA format is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and in-text citations and references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Students should review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the criteria and expectations for successful completion.
You are not required to submit this assignment to Turnitin.
Professional Associations Membership SAMPLE
Professional associations are important in every organization and team of workers. In the healthcare institutions, professional organizations seek to further the interest of individuals that are engaged in both the professional and public interest. Also, professional associations are important in enhancing networking between the healthcare professionals through integrating the operational processes and promoting the roles that each individual are to play. A professional association or the professional body or professional society is important in maintaining the control or oversight of the legitimate nursing practices. Also, the body plays significant roles in safeguarding the public interest. The organizations should therefore maintain their own privileges and powerful positions in controlling the professional associations. In the healthcare practices, professional organizations can be applied in enhancing the interest of the workers or healthcare professionals. The professional nursing organization that relates to my specialty area is American Foot Care Nurses Association.
Description of the Organization
American Foot Care Nurses Association was formed to create the associations for the foot care specialist. The organization also works to facilitate or enhance the activities of the foot care specialists by engaging in the research and the new practices in ensuring effective patient outcomes (American Foot Care Nurses Association, 2019c). Through the organization, nurses and other healthcare providers are able to obtain effective education and training processes required to fill the gap and provide critical care in foot care. The organization was formed in an attempt to provide an elaborate forum for nurses as well as other providers of the routine foot care. American Foot Care Nurses Association promotes corporative learning, allows effective communication, and enhance understanding of the best practice procedures and protocols. The purpose of the American Foot Care Nurses Association is to create a community of foot care specialists to advance the practices of foot care through the networking and collaborative processes of the foot care specialists or providers (Kaya & Karaca, 2018). The vision of the organization is to deliver the best possible care to different clients. The mission is to provide professional, literature based routine foot care to enable clients to live healthy, and active lives. On the other hand, the objective of the organization is to promote exposure and expand the membership. The main benefit of being a member of American Foot Care Nurses Association is the advancement in knowledge through networking on the ways of maintaining foot care for different patients.

“Through effective patient advocacy, nurses can preserve patients’ values, benefits, and autonomy; and increase their safety, self-control, and quality of life” (Bu, & Jezewski, 2007)

Patient advocacy can take on many different shapes in healthcare. However, verbal or nonverbal communication is the first step in advocation (Helbig, 2018, ch 5). Nurses play a significant role in encouraging patients’ autonomy in their care and speaking up when it’s not followed. When nurses advocate for patients, care delivery can achieve safe, high quality, and equitable patient-centered care.

Healthcare can be very intimidating and confusing for the general population. The technology, terminology, and the institutional environment can be overwhelming. Nurses are the navigators of patient-centered care. Advocating starts with the nursing process, then the needs of patients are communicated by the nurse across the different interdisciplinary teams (Helbig, 2018, ch 5).

Advocating in pediatrics is one of the most challenging, intricate, and delicate duties I have undertaken. You are caring for someone who has not learned to speak for themself; caring is seen as both the patient and parents, making ethical and moral situations harder to come to terms with.

I recently advocated for a patient who needed further testing due to medical reasons, and her behavior resulted from her diagnosis. She was not neurologically appropriate, and it wasn’t because she was three and having a tantrum. The situation was multifaceted with nurse-doctor communication and household communication between mom and dad. The young girl came in with PICA, Hbg, and Hct in the single digits. She was a picky eater, only drinking milk and eating mac and cheese. Mom found her eating paper and toilet paper. The mom gave her a little Benadryl for a cold, and hours later, she started acting peculiar. The mom brought her into the ED. She was staring off to the right and screaming when people approached her. People assumed it was stranger danger. After discussion with mom, we found out that she drank up to 8 bottles of milk a day, and the girl was severely anemic. I want to say she had a Hct of 8.

The doctors asked the basic questions and moved on with the slow blood transfusion. I could tell the mom was very distressed, so I thought I would try and talk to her like another mom and not a healthcare person. This was when I learned more about the child’s character. The mom seemed to second guess everything she said; she explained that her husband never agreed with her, and ultimately, the kids do what they want because dad makes it that way. This was personally hard for me, but I did my best to encourage her to believe in her inner mom voice.

Moving on to the doctors. I kept pushing that we needed to do scans of the brain because she was far from her baseline. I pushed my assessment onto the NP in hopes she could be a bridge to my voice. She started to pull up studies relating to pica, anemia, and severely low hct levels. It led to evidence that could support micro-emboli resulting from slug-like blood. We presented the findings and the assessment to the doctors, and we got our head CT. The scan showed multiple scattered venous and arterial emboli. She was immediately started on heparin. Consequently, the heparin broke up a large clot in her heart, and then she threw a ton of micro pulmonary emboli.

In the end, she turned out fine and recovered. I was graced with a thank you card from mom. She was grateful for the inspiring words and strength to believe in herself as a mom.

Abbasinia, M., Ahmadi, F., & Kazemnejad, A. (2020). Patient advocacy in nursing: A concept analysis. Nursing Ethics, 27(1), 141–151

Bu, X., & Jezewski, M. A. (2007). Developing a mid-range theory of patient advocacy through concept analysis. Journal of advanced nursing, 57(1), 101–110

Grand Canyon University (Ed). (2018). Dynamics in nursing: Art & science of professional practice. Chapter 5. Retrieved from https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs430v/dynamics-in-nursing-art-and-science-of-professional-practice/v1.1/

Topic 5: Advocacy and Activism

Description

Objectives:

1. Discuss the benefits of belonging to a professional nursing organization.
2. Explain the importance of advocacy and activism as a professional nurse.
3. Discuss the benefits of networking within a professional nursing organization.
Study Materials
Dynamics in Nursing: Art and Science of Professional Practice
Description:
Read Chapter 5 in Dynamics in Nursing: Art and Science of Professional Practice.
List of Nursing Organizations
Description:
Explore the “List of Nursing Organizations,” located on the Nurse.org website.
Advocacy
Description:
Explore the Advocacy page of the American Nurses Association (ANA) website.
American Nurses Credentialing Center
Description:
Explore the America Nurses Credentialing Center website. In particular, familiarize yourself with the resources describing standards of practice.
Topic 5 DQ 1
Description:
Discuss how professional nursing organizations support the field of nursing and how they advocate for nursing practice. Explain the value professional nursing organizations have in advocacy and activism related to patient care.
Topic 5 DQ 2
Description:
Discuss the importance of advocacy as it pertains to patient care. What is the nurse’s role in patient advocacy? Describe a situation in which you were involved with patient advocacy. Explain what the advocacy accomplished for the patient, and what the repercussions would have been if the patient would not have had an advocate.
Topic 5 Participation
Description:
NA
Course Code Class Code Assignment Title Total Points
NRS-430V NRS-430V-O503 Professional Associations Membership 210.0

Criteria Percentage Unsatisfactory (0.00%) Less than Satisfactory (75.00%) Satisfactory (79.00%) Good (89.00%) Excellent (100.00%)
Content 80.0%
Professional Association Membership (Significance to nurses in specialty area; purpose, mission, vision; membership benefits, and perks) 20.0% Professional organization is not associated with a specialty area. The purpose, mission, and vision are not presented. The overall benefits of being a member are not discussed.

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NRS 430 V Assignment Professional Associations Membership
NRS 430 V Assignment Professional Associations Membership

Professional organization associated with a specialty area is partially described. Description of purpose, mission, vision, and overall benefits of being a member is incomplete. There are significant inaccuracies. Professional organization associated with a specialty area is described. The purpose, mission, vision, and overall benefits of being a member are summarized. There are some minor inaccuracies. More information is needed to accurately represent the organization, or the benefits to the members. Professional organization associated with a specialty area is described. The purpose, mission, vision, and overall benefits of being a member are presented. Overall, the organization and its member benefits are accurately represented. Professional organization associated with a specialty area is clearly described. The purpose, mission, vision, and overall benefits of being a member are described in detail. The overall description demonstrates a clear understanding of the importance of professional associations.

Networking Opportunities in Professional Association 20.0% Importance of nurses networking in a specialty field is omitted. Discussion on how the professional association creates networking opportunities for nurses is not presented. Importance of nurses networking in a specialty field, and how the professional association creates networking opportunities for nurses to network, are partially presented. There are significant inaccuracies. Importance of nurses networking in a specialty field, and how the professional association creates networking opportunities for nurses to network, are summarized. Some information is needed. The importance of networking as a nurse, or the role of the professional organization in helping nurses network, is unclear. Importance of nurses networking in a specialty field, and how the professional association creates networking opportunities for nurses to network, are described. Some detail is needed for clarity. Importance of nurses networking in a specialty field, and how the professional association creates networking opportunities for nurses to network, are thoroughly described. Narrative demonstrates insight into the overall importance of networking as a nurse.

Professional Association Communication Regarding Health Care Changes and Changes to Practice 20.0% Discussion of how the organization keeps its members informed of health care changes and changes to practice that affect the specialty area is omitted. An incomplete discussion of how the organization keeps its members informed of health care changes and changes to practice that affect the specialty area is presented. There are major inaccuracies. A summary of how the organization keeps its members informed of health care changes and changes to practice that affect the specialty area is presented. There are minor inaccuracies. Some information is needed. A description of how the organization keeps its members informed of health care changes and changes to practice that affect the specialty area is presented. Some detail is needed for clarity. A thorough description of how the organization keeps its members informed of health care changes and changes to practice that affect the specialty area is presented.

Professional Association and Opportunities for Continuing Education and Professional Development 20.0% A discussion of opportunities for continuing education and professional development is not presented. An incomplete discussion of opportunities for continuing education and professional development is presented. There are major inaccuracies. A summary of opportunities for continuing education and professional development is presented. Some aspects are unclear; or, some information is needed. A discussion of the opportunities for continuing education and professional development is presented. Some detail is needed for clarity. An accurate and detailed discussion of the opportunities for continuing education and professional development is presented.

Organization and Effectiveness 15.0%
Thesis Development and Purpose 5.0% Paper lacks any discernible overall purpose or organizing claim. Thesis is insufficiently developed or vague. Purpose is not clear. Thesis is apparent and appropriate to purpose. Thesis is clear and forecasts the development of the paper. Thesis is descriptive and reflective of the arguments and appropriate to the purpose. Thesis is comprehensive and contains the essence of the paper. Thesis statement makes the purpose of the paper clear.

Argument Logic and Construction 5.0% Statement of purpose is not justified by the conclusion. The conclusion does not support the claim made. Argument is incoherent and uses noncredible sources. Sufficient justification of claims is lacking. Argument lacks consistent unity. There are obvious flaws in the logic. Some sources have questionable credibility. Argument is orderly, but may have a few inconsistencies. The argument presents minimal justification of claims. Argument logically, but not thoroughly, supports the purpose. Sources used are credible. Introduction and conclusion bracket the thesis. Argument shows logical progressions. Techniques of argumentation are evident. There is a smooth progression of claims from introduction to conclusion. Most sources are authoritative. Clear and convincing argument that presents a persuasive claim in a distinctive and compelling manner. All sources are authoritative.

Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use) 5.0% Surface errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of meaning. Inappropriate word choice or sentence construction is used. Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Inconsistencies in language choice (register), sentence structure, or word choice are present. Some mechanical errors or typos are present, but they are not overly distracting to the reader. Correct sentence structure and audience-appropriate language are used. Prose is largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. A variety of sentence structures and effective figures of speech are used. Writer is clearly in command of standard, written, academic English.

Format 5.0%
Paper Format (use of appropriate style for the major and assignment) 2.0% Template is not used appropriately or documentation format is rarely followed correctly. Template is used, but some elements are missing or mistaken; lack of control with formatting is apparent. Template is used, and formatting is correct, although some minor errors may be present. Template is fully used; There are virtually no errors in formatting style. All format elements are correct.

Documentation of Sources (citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc., as appropriate to assignment and style) 3.0% Sources are not documented. Documentation of sources is inconsistent or incorrect, as appropriate to assignment and style, with numerous formatting errors. Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, although some formatting errors may be present. Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is mostly correct. Sources are completely and correctly documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is free of error.

Welcome to class

Hello class and welcome to the class and I will be your instructor for this course. This is a -week course and requires a lot of time commitment, organization, and a high level of dedication. Please use the class syllabus to guide you through all the assignments required for the course. I have also attached the classroom policies to this announcement to know your expectations for this course. Please review this document carefully and ask me any questions if you do. You could email me at any time or send me a message via the “message” icon in halo if you need to contact me. I check my email regularly, so you should get a response within 24 hours. If you have not heard from me within 24 hours and need to contact me urgently, please send a follow up text to.

I strongly encourage that you do not wait until the very last minute to complete your assignments. Your assignments in weeks 4 and 5 require early planning as you would need to present a teaching plan and interview a community health provider. I advise you look at the requirements for these assignments at the beginning of the course and plan accordingly. I have posted the YouTube link that explains all the class assignments in detail. It is required that you watch this 32-minute video as the assignments from week 3 through 5 require that you follow the instructions to the letter to succeed. Failure to complete these assignments according to instructions might lead to a zero. After watching the video, please schedule a one-on-one with me to discuss your topic for your project by the second week of class. Use this link to schedule a 15-minute session. Please, call me at the time of your appointment on my number. Please note that I will NOT call you.

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If you think you would be needing accommodations due to any reasons, please contact the appropriate department to request accommodations.

Plagiarism is highly prohibited. Please ensure you are citing your sources correctly using APA 7th edition. All assignments including discussion posts should be formatted in APA with the appropriate spacing, font, margin, and indents. Any papers not well formatted would be returned back to you, hence, I advise you review APA formatting style. I have attached a sample paper in APA format and will also post sample discussion responses in subsequent announcements.

Your initial discussion post should be a minimum of 200 words and response posts should be a minimum of 150 words. Be advised that I grade based on quality and not necessarily the number of words you post. A minimum of TWO references should be used for your initial post. For your response post, you do not need references as personal experiences would count as response posts. If you however cite anything from the literature for your response post, it is required that you cite your reference. You should include a minimum of THREE references for papers in this course. Please note that references should be no more than 5 years old except recommended as a resource for the class. Furthermore, for each discussion board question, you need ONE initial substantive response and TWO substantive responses to either your classmates or your instructor for a total of THREE responses. There are TWO discussion questions each week, hence, you need a total minimum of SIX discussion posts for each week. I usually post a discussion question each week. You could also respond to these as it would count towards your required SIX discussion posts for the week.

I understand this is a lot of information to cover in 5 weeks, however, the Bible says in Philippians 4:13 that we can do all things through Christ that strengthens us. Even in times like this, we are encouraged by God’s word that we have that ability in us to succeed with His strength. I pray that each and every one of you receives strength for this course and life generally as we navigate through this pandemic that is shaking our world today. Relax and enjoy the course!

Professional associations are important in every organization and team of workers. In the healthcare institutions, professional organizations seek to further the interest of individuals that are engaged in both the professional and public interest. Also, professional associations are important in enhancing networking between the healthcare professionals through integrating the operational processes and promoting the roles that each individual are to play. A professional association or the professional body or professional society is important in maintaining the control or oversight of the legitimate nursing practices. Also, the body plays significant roles in safeguarding the public interest. The organizations should therefore maintain their own privileges and powerful positions in controlling the professional associations. In the healthcare practices, professional organizations can be applied in enhancing the interest of the workers or healthcare professionals. The professional nursing organization that relates to my specialty area is American Foot Care Nurses Association.

Description of the Organization

American Foot Care Nurses Association was formed to create the associations for the foot care specialist. The organization also works to facilitate or enhance the activities of the foot care specialists by engaging in the research and the new practices in ensuring effective patient outcomes (American Foot Care Nurses Association, 2019c). Through the organization, nurses and other healthcare providers are able to obtain effective education and training processes required to fill the gap and provide critical care in foot care. The organization was formed in an attempt to provide an elaborate forum for nurses as well as other providers of the routine foot care. American Foot Care Nurses Association promotes corporative learning, allows effective communication, and enhance understanding of the best practice procedures and protocols. The purpose of the American Foot Care Nurses Association is to create a community of foot care specialists to advance the practices of foot care through the networking and collaborative processes of the foot care specialists or providers (Kaya & Karaca, 2018). The vision of the organization is to deliver the best possible care to different clients. The mission is to provide professional, literature based routine foot care to enable clients to live healthy, and active lives. On the other hand, the objective of the organization is to promote exposure and expand the membership. The main benefit of being a member of American Foot Care Nurses Association is the advancement in knowledge through networking on the ways of maintaining foot care for different patients.

Importance of Networking for Nurses with Specialty in Foot Care

Professional networking is critical for nurses with specialty in foot care. This allows for the acquisition of new knowledge and experiences on the advanced practices. Networking is also important for career advancement or transition from one role to the other. Through career advancement, one is able to gain experience and the advanced level in specialization. Foot care nurses should also network to ensure the advancement in future prospects. Finally, through networking, nurse specialists may also get to understand how to provide support system and thereafter enhance the foot care delivery systems (Beuscher et al., 2019). American Foot Care Nurses Association provides networking opportunities for different nurses. It often engages in the expansion of avenues of care allowing nurses to network and acquire advancement in practices. Also, the organization provides the best platform for ensuring that all the nurses in the foot care specialty and connected in undertaking their clinical activities. American Foot Care Nurses Association is one of the ideal nursing organizations that provide appropriate care to all the members through the provision of the best platforms of association and interaction.

 

How the Organization Keeps Members Informed

about Healthcare Changes

There are always continuous changes in healthcare system due to continuous research processes on different on different healthcare practices. The organization often publishes different research processes to allow members understand the current trends in the foot care. Also, the organization often engages different professionals in the decision-making processes to ensure that they adhere to the operational stands. Through education and training provided by the American Foot Care Nurses Association, members often get informed on various issues and changes in the healthcare services for the foot care (American Foot Care Nurses Association, 2019d). Also, the education and training provides advancement in knowledge and understanding of various healthcare processes required to enhance safety standards. Finally, the organization provides forums that allows nurses to network and share information regarding the foot care practices. American Foot Care Nurses Association often provide the best practices to ensure that members have the skills and capabilities of in the foot care treatments.

Opportunities for Continuing Education and Professional Development

American Foot Care Nurses Association often provides opportunities for continuing education and professional development. The organization has education and training programs that enable nurses to be informed on various research processes and foot care practices that can enhance the quality treatment outcomes. The training provided by the organization often involves development of advanced skills and practices necessary in ensuring effective care. Also, with the availability of professionals in foot care, members are able to acquire new skills and enhance their proficiency in healthcare services. With the above services, the organization has been able to provide experienced and skillful members to enhance foot care in various healthcare institutions.

Conclusion

Professional associations are important in every organization and team of workers. In the healthcare institutions, professional organizations seek to further the interest of individuals that are engaged in both the professional and public interest. American Foot Care Nurses Association often provides opportunities for continuing education and professional development. Professional networking is critical for nurses with specialty in foot care; this allows for the acquisition of new knowledge and experiences on the advanced practices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

American Foot Care Nurses Association. (2019c). Resources for Foot Care Nurses. https://www.afcna.org/page-1274553

American Foot Care Nurses Association. (2019d). Become a Member. https://www.afcna.org/JoinUs

Beuscher, T. L., Moe, H. L., Stolder, M. E., Peloquin, L., & Nesbitt, B. (2019). Expanding a foot care education program for nurses: A quality improvement survey. Journal of Wound Ostomy & Continence Nursing46(5), 441-445. DOI: 10.1097/won.0000000000000579

Kaya, Z., & Karaca, A. (2018). Evaluation of nurses’ knowledge levels of diabetic foot care management. Nursing research and practice2018. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/8549567

Rubric Criteria

Total210 points

Criterion

1. Unsatisfactory

2. Less than Satisfactory

3. Satisfactory

4. Good

5. Excellent

Paper Format (use of appropriate style for the major and assignment)

Paper Format (use of appropriate style for the major and assignment)

0 points

Template is not used appropriately or documentation format is rarely followed correctly.

3.15 points

Template is used, but some elements are missing or mistaken; lack of control with formatting is apparent.

3.32 points

Template is used, and formatting is correct, although some minor errors may be present.

3.74 points

Template is fully used; There are virtually no errors in formatting style.

4.2 points

All format elements are correct.

Networking Opportunities in Professional Association

Networking Opportunities in Professional Association

0 points

Importance of nurses networking in a specialty field is omitted. Discussion on how the professional association creates networking opportunities for nurses is not presented.

31.5 points

Importance of nurses networking in a specialty field, and how the professional association creates networking opportunities for nurses to network, are partially presented. There are significant inaccuracies.

33.18 points

Importance of nurses networking in a specialty field, and how the professional association creates networking opportunities for nurses to network, are summarized. Some information is needed. The importance of networking as a nurse, or the role of the professional organization in helping nurses network, is unclear.

37.38 points

Importance of nurses networking in a specialty field, and how the professional association creates networking opportunities for nurses to network, are described. Some detail is needed for clarity.

42 points

Importance of nurses networking in a specialty field, and how the professional association creates networking opportunities for nurses to network, are thoroughly described. Narrative demonstrates insight into the overall importance of networking as a nurse.

Thesis Development and Purpose

Thesis Development and Purpose

0 points

Paper lacks any discernible overall purpose or organizing claim.

7.88 points

Thesis is insufficiently developed or vague. Purpose is not clear.

8.3 points

Thesis is apparent and appropriate to purpose.

9.35 points

Thesis is clear and forecasts the development of the paper. Thesis is descriptive and reflective of the arguments and appropriate to the purpose.

10.5 points

Thesis is comprehensive and contains the essence of the paper. Thesis statement makes the purpose of the paper clear.

Argument Logic and Construction

Argument Logic and Construction

0 points

Statement of purpose is not justified by the conclusion. The conclusion does not support the claim made. Argument is incoherent and uses noncredible sources.

7.88 points

Sufficient justification of claims is lacking. Argument lacks consistent unity. There are obvious flaws in the logic. Some sources have questionable credibility.

8.3 points

Argument is orderly, but may have a few inconsistencies. The argument presents minimal justification of claims. Argument logically, but not thoroughly, supports the purpose. Sources used are credible. Introduction and conclusion bracket the thesis.

9.35 points

Argument shows logical progressions. Techniques of argumentation are evident. There is a smooth progression of claims from introduction to conclusion. Most sources are authoritative.

10.5 points

Clear and convincing argument that presents a persuasive claim in a distinctive and compelling manner. All sources are authoritative.

Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use)

Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use)

0 points

Surface errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of meaning. Inappropriate word choice or sentence construction is used.

7.88 points

Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Inconsistencies in language choice (register), sentence structure, or word choice are present.

8.3 points

Some mechanical errors or typos are present, but they are not overly distracting to the reader. Correct sentence structure and audience-appropriate language are used.

9.35 points

Prose is largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. A variety of sentence structures and effective figures of speech are used.

10.5 points

Writer is clearly in command of standard, written, academic English.

Professional Association Communication Regarding Health Care Changes and Changes to Practice

Professional Association Communication Regarding Health Care Changes and Changes to Practice

0 points

Discussion of how the organization keeps its members informed of health care changes and changes to practice that affect the specialty area is omitted.

31.5 points

An incomplete discussion of how the organization keeps its members informed of health care changes and changes to practice that affect the specialty area is presented. There are major inaccuracies.

33.18 points

A summary of how the organization keeps its members informed of health care changes and changes to practice that affect the specialty area is presented. There are minor inaccuracies. Some information is needed.

37.38 points

A description of how the organization keeps its members informed of health care changes and changes to practice that affect the specialty area is presented. Some detail is needed for clarity.

42 points

A thorough description of how the organization keeps its members informed of health care changes and changes to practice that affect the specialty area is presented.

Documentation of Sources

Documentation of Sources (citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc., as appropriate to assignment and style)

0 points

Sources are not documented.

4.73 points

Documentation of sources is inconsistent or incorrect, as appropriate to assignment and style, with numerous formatting errors.

4.98 points

Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, although some formatting errors may be present.

5.61 points

Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is mostly correct.

6.3 points

Sources are completely and correctly documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is free of error.

Professional Association and Opportunities for Continuing Education and Professional Development

Professional Association and Opportunities for Continuing Education and Professional Development

0 points

A discussion of opportunities for continuing education and professional development is not presented.

31.5 points

An incomplete discussion of opportunities for continuing education and professional development is presented. There are major inaccuracies.

33.18 points

A summary of opportunities for continuing education and professional development is presented. Some aspects are unclear; or, some information is needed.

37.38 points

A discussion of the opportunities for continuing education and professional development is presented. Some detail is needed for clarity.

42 points

An accurate and detailed discussion of the opportunities for continuing education and professional development is presented.

Professional Association Membership

Professional Association Membership (Significance to nurses in specialty area; purpose, mission, vision; membership benefits, and perks)

0 points

Professional organization is not associated with a specialty area. The purpose, mission, and vision are not presented. The overall benefits of being a member are not discussed.

31.5 points

Professional organization associated with a specialty area is partially described. Description of purpose, mission, vision, and overall benefits of being a member is incomplete. There are significant inaccuracies.

33.18 points

Professional organization associated with a specialty area is described. The purpose, mission, vision, and overall benefits of being a member are summarized. There are some minor inaccuracies. More information is needed to accurately represent the organization, or the benefits to the members.

37.38 points

Professional organization associated with a specialty area is described. The purpose, mission, vision, and overall benefits of being a member are presented. Overall, the organization and its member benefits are accurately represented.

42 points

Professional organization associated with a specialty area is clearly described. The purpose, mission, vision, and overall benefits of being a member are described in detail. The overall description demonstrates a clear understanding of the importance of professional associations.