Organization: The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)

Describe the organization and its significance to nurses in the specialty area. Include its purpose, mission, and vision. Describe the overall benefits, or “perks,” of being a member.
Explain why networking is important for a nurse in this specialty field. Discuss how this organization creates networking opportunities for members.
Discuss how the organization keeps its members informed of health care changes and changes to practice that affect the specialty area.
Discuss opportunities the organization provides for continuing education and professional development.
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Organization: The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)

Purpose: The AACN is a professional organization that represents the interests of critical care nurses worldwide. The organization’s purpose is to “advance the practice of critical care nursing by providing leadership in education, advocacy, research, and practice standards development.”

Mission: The AACN’s mission is to “achieve excellence in the delivery of critical care to patients, their families, and the communities we serve.”

Vision: The AACN’s vision is to be “the leading voice for critical care nursing worldwide.”

Benefits of membership: The AACN offers a variety of benefits to its members, including:

Access to continuing education resources
Networking opportunities
Advocacy on behalf of critical care nurses
Research opportunities
Publications and journals *Discounts on products and services

Networking: Networking is important for nurses in any specialty area, but it is especially important for critical care nurses. This is because critical care nurses often work in isolation, and they need to be able to connect with other nurses who share their experiences. The AACN provides a variety of networking opportunities for its members, including:

Local chapters
Online forums
Conferences
Listservs

Health care changes and changes to practice: The AACN keeps its members informed of health care changes and changes to practice that affect the specialty area through a variety of channels, including:

The AACN’s website
The AACN’s monthly magazine
The AACN’s email newsletter
The AACN’s social media channels

Continuing education and professional development: The AACN provides a variety of opportunities for continuing education and professional development for its members, including:

Online courses
Webinars
Conferences
Self-study materials