A voice for nursing
Professional organizations allow nurses to be heard
By Jo Ann Rathgeb

Silence is not golden, especially when it comes to nursing. Nurses need to be able to speak up and make their voices heard when it comes to improving both health care and their own profession.

That’s why it’s important to become a part of the professional organizations that give nursing its voice: the Virginia Nurses Association and the American Nurses Association. Moreover, involvement in these organizations can boost your own career and create the power of numbers. Listen to the voices of some who have learned these valuable lessons.

Teresa M. Haller, RN, MSN, MBA, NEA-BC, is an administrator of business operations and workforce development for the Patient Care Services division at the University of Virginia Health System and adjunct faculty at the University of Virginia School of Nursing, Charlottesville. She served as president of the VNA from 2004 to 2008 and has held board positions in the organization. In 2006 she was appointed to the Attorney General’s Task Force on Regulatory Reform and the workforce workgroup of the Governor’s Health Reform Commission. In June 2008, she was elected treasurer for the Center of American Nurses (an affiliate of ANA), and she became ANA treasurer in June of this year.

A part of the excitement: When “Terri” Haller moved from New York to Virginia in 1980, she worked with nurses who belonged to the VNA, and her supervisor was enthusiastic about the organization. "I joined because I wanted to be a part of the excitement!" What she found was not only a chance to work toward policy changes, but also a vehicle to advance her own career. "The opportunities for networking are endless."

Special people: In the professional organizations, "I have met many, many nurses doing some of the most interesting work," notes Haller. Advocating for these special people is important to her. While she was VNA president, she participated in a number of meetings of ANA constituents, primarily the state associations. "I ... was impressed with the level of work ANA does on behalf of nurses at the national level," she comments. "For example, ANA was 'at the table' every step of the was as the health care reform legislation was conceived (an I mean back in the 1980s originally!) and eventually passed in 2010."

Making a difference: Haller says she believes she made the greatest impact during her years as VNA president. "With the help of a talented board of directors, volunteers and VNA staff we created a strategic plan and charted a path to build strong relationships with other healthcare organizations in Virginia," she notes. "VNA has educated many legislators to the issues and problems caused by nursing and health care worker shortages. We were very influential in attaining increases in nursing faculty salaries and improving data collection." She adds, "Association work is important becuase it provides a voice for a profession in a variety of arenas. There is truth to the saying that there is 'power in numbers.'"

Ronette Langhorne, RN, BSN, MSN, has been a registered nurse since 1998 and a teacher for seven years. Currently she is an assistant professor at Thomas Nelson Community College and works on an as-needed basis as a nursing supervisor at Mary Immaculate Hospital in Newport News. She began getting involved in VNA as a student at Hampton University and has gone on to hold offices on the district and state levels. She is currently district president. At the national level she has served as ANA delegate for Virginia and was recently elected to the Congress on Nursing Practice and Economics for a four-year term.

From student to student mentor: When Langhorne was in her school's Student Nurses Association, she was mentored by the late Kathy Block, who taught her about the importance of professional organizations. Other mentors for her were Dr. Esther Condon, Teresa Haller, and Sallie Eissler. She has taken good advice and "paid it forward." In her work on the VNA district level, she established a scholarship that will assist nursing students in furthering their educations. "My achievement comes when I see nursing students becoming active in ANA/VNA," she says.

Get sharp: Asked to explain her reasons for ANA/VNA involvement, Langhorne notes, "Without the existence of their professional 'parent' organizations, nursing would lose some of its power to speak for itself. It is just a beautiful and powerful statement when nurses from all areas, specialties and cultures come together and work as one to improve the best profession ever."

Nudging others: Langhorne has heard the comments from other nurses saying that they're too busy to take part in nursing organizations. Her response: "As I have said to some, 'Are you too busy to speak up for yourself, your family, or your patients?' Yes, there is a bit of time that is commitment to belonging to an organization like ANA or VNA, but that little bit of time may make a huge difference in our profession, our jobs, our health and our health care systems."

Pride on our side: Langhorne notes, "Most of all, my proudest achievement is being able to personally say, 'I am a member of ANA/VNA and I am proud to be a nurse.'"

In addition to Haller and Langhorne, VNA has two other members who hold ANA positions. VNA past-president Florence Jones-Clarke serves on the ANA board as director at large. Sandra Olanitori, most recently VNA's commissioner on nursing practice, was elected to a term on the ANA Nominating Committee.