There are several ways that affiliating with a professional nursing association can provide this including:

Federal lobbying on issues important to nursing and health care.

State lobbying through our State Nurses Associations and nationwide state legislative agenda on issues vital to your scope of practice.

Representing nursing where it matters, including the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and many others, right up to the White House.

Speaking for nursing through the media including stories in the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, 60 Minutes, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and NPR to name a few (Your guide to the benefits of membership... (http://nursingworld.org/member2.htm)."

Throughout the nation there are approximately 61 professional nursing associations that encompass a national membership. In addition there are many hundreds of state and local nursing associations that help foster the professional advancement of nurses. These professional associations not only work to protect and support the nurses working in the field but they also protect and server the nation's...

The membership of professional associations allows the profession to streamline and define its voice and use that strength to move forward in areas of legislation and professional development.
References

ANA's Statement of Purpose (accessed 3-20-07)

http://nursingworld.org/about/mission.htm

Your guide to the benefits of membership (accessed 3-20-07)

http://nursingworld.org/member2.htm

Position Statements (accessed 3-20-07)

http://www.nysna.org/programs/nai/practice/positions/positions.htm

Membership (accessed 3-20-07)

http://www.washingtonhealthcarecareers.com/Edu-ProfAssoc/PA-NurseNatl.htm