As a member of the American Bar Association, I receive the ABA Journal. The May 2008 issue has a report from the Executive Director, Henry White. Its A Small World: How the ABA is relevant in Anytown, USA. http://www.abajournal.com/
The Executive Director noted that ABA attorney membership has remained constant over the last two decades. Attorney membership never dipped below 340,000 practicing lawyers. This year, the ABA's attorney membership is 352,000. Membership has also never risen above 362,000. There are 1.1 million lawyers.
The ABA Executive Director is pushing for all attorneys to join the ABA and states "we need to make the case that we're relevant every day to the professional lives of all of America's lawyers."
Membership in the American Association Association, State Bar Associations (Ohio State Bar Association, Indiana State Bar Association, etc.), and local bar associations (Cincinnati Bar Association, etc.) are seperate fees. You don't pay one fee and belong to the national, state, and local bar associations.
Personally, I think this is better system because it allows attorneys to pick and choose which organization to support. I belong to the ABA, Ohio State Bar Association, Indiana State Bar Association, and Kentucky Bar Association (its a integrated bar association; membership is included with my licensure fees). I don't belong to the Cincinnati Bar Association. Why? I practice in suburban Cincinnati and I don't think Cincinnati Bar Association benefits my practice. Its my choice.
Now contrast the ABA with the American Nurses Association. There are almost 3 million RNs in the United States. Less than 150,000 belong to the American Nurses Association.
Also for the most part when you join the American Nurses Association, you join a state nurses association, and a district nurses association. You cannot pick and choose whether you want to join a national, state, or local association.
In your opinion, is ANA making the case that its relevant every day to the professional lives of all of America's registered nurses?
Also most law firms will pay for its attorneys to join the American Bar Association and other specialty bar associations. My bar association memberships were paid when I worked for a law firm.
Do you think healthcare organizations and nursing employers should or would ever pay for registered nurses to join the American Nurses Association, State Nurses Associations, and District Nurses Associations?
There is precedent for nursing employers paying professional association dues for nurses. It can happen when the professional association cultivates a relationship with a group of nursing employers. For example, Some skilled nursing facilities pay for its nurse administrators and DONs to join the National Association of Director of Nursing Administration/LTC. http://www.nadona.org/ Email me other examples that you know of and I will add them to this post.
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