Topic outline

  • Professional Membership Organizations & Associations

    This section will provide some information and sources for Professional Membership Organizations and Associations.

    • American Nurses Association (ANA)

      The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the only full-service professional organization representing the interests of the nation's 3.1 million registered nurses through its constituent and state nurses associations and its organizational affiliates. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights 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.

    • American Public Health Association (APHA)

      Per American Public Health Association (APHA) - The American Public Health Association champions the health of all people and all communities. We strengthen the profession of public health, share the latest research and information, promote best practices and advocate for public health issues and policies grounded in research. We are the only organization that combines a 140-plus year perspective, a broad-based member community and the ability to influence federal policy to improve the public’s health.

    • American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM)

      Per American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) - Established in 1980, the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) is a personal membership group of the American Hospital Association (AHA) with nearly 6,000 members representing risk management, patient safety, insurance, law, finance and other related professions.

      ASHRM promotes effective and innovative risk management strategies and professional leadership through education, recognition, advocacy, publications, networking and interactions with leading healthcare organizations and government agencies. ASHRM initiatives focus on developing and implementing safe and effective patient care practices, the preservation of financial resources and the maintenance of safe working environments.

    • Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC)

      Per Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) - The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is the leading professional association for infection preventionists (IPs) with more than 15,000 members. Our mission is to create a safer world through the prevention of infection. This is achieved by the provision of better care to promote better health at a lower cost.

      Most APIC members are nurses, physicians, public health professionals, epidemiologists, microbiologists, or medical technologists who:

      Collect, analyze, and interpret health data in order to track infection trends, plan appropriate interventions, measure success, and report relevant data to public health agencies.
      Establish scientifically based infection prevention practices and collaborate with the healthcare team to assure implementation.
      Work to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in healthcare facilities by isolating sources of infections and limiting their transmission.
      Educate healthcare personnel and the public about infectious diseases and how to limit their spread.

    • Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN)

      Per Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) - AORN is a non-profit membership association based in Denver, Colorado that represents the interests of more than 160,000 perioperative nurses by providing nursing education, standards, and clinical practice resources—including the peer-reviewed, monthly publication AORN Journal—to enable optimal outcomes for patients undergoing operative and other invasive procedures. AORN’s 44,000 registered nurse members manage, teach, and practice perioperative nursing, are enrolled in nursing education, or are engaged in perioperative research. We define and advance best nursing practices for surgical patients by researching and distributing scientifically based recommendations.

    • National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ)

      Per National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) - NAHQ is a professional association dedicated to the advancement of the profession of healthcare quality and patient safety and the individual professionals working in the field.

    • National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)

      Per National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) -The National Committee for Quality Assurance is a private, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. Since its founding in 1990, NCQA has been a central figure in driving improvement throughout the health care system, helping to elevate the issue of health care quality to the top of the national agenda.

      The NCQA seal is a widely recognized symbol of quality. Organizations incorporating the seal into advertising and marketing materials must first pass a rigorous, comprehensive review and must annually report on their performance. For consumers and employers, the seal is a reliable indicator that an organization is well-managed and delivers high quality care and service.

    • National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC)

      Per National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC) - The NCIHC is composed of leaders from around the country who work as medical interpreters, interpreter service coordinators and trainers, clinicians, policymakers, advocates and researchers.