Barriers and Determinants that Influence Membership in the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists

Date

2021

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Abstract

The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) have a significant role in providing various benefits to their members and advancing the profession. However, membership percentages have decreased within the last 10 years. A review of the literature was conducted to identify the determinants that influence decision making regarding professional association membership. It was discovered that Florida was among the states with the highest percentages of non-members. For that reason, a scholarly project was developed and implemented to examine the factors that influence decision making regarding professional association membership among Florida’s licensed nurse anesthetists. An online survey was developed and sent to all Florida Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) with the help of the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists (FANA). The results of the survey revealed barriers to membership included dissatisfaction with the new National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) Continued Professional Certification (CPC) requirements, cost of membership, and a lack of education about the AANA. Determinants to membership identified included the benefit of CEUs and tracking, professional promotion, and the political advocacy the AANA provides. There was insufficient power to compare responses between FANA members and non-members due to a low non-member response rate. However, sufficient information was derived to suggest implications and recommendations to help improve future research efforts and better understand the issue.

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Keywords

membership, nonmembers, AANA, professional association

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