1.7 Professional Organizations
Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN)
In addition to the ANA’s Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics for Nurses, there are several professional nursing organizations that provide specialized standards for nursing care and promote continuous quality improvement. The following box contains examples of many organizations that significantly guide the overall nursing profession.
Examples of Professional Nursing Organizations
American Nursing Association: The American Nurses Association (ANA) guides professional nursing practice with publications, in addition to establishing the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice and ANA Code of Ethics. The ANA also publishes a monthly journal on nursing topics for its members called The American Nurse.
Read more information about the ANA.
American Nurses Credentialing Center: The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) credentials both organizations and individuals. ANCC certification provides individual nurses certification in specialized nursing knowledge.
The ANCC accreditation program recognizes the importance of high-quality continuing nursing education, interprofessional continuing education, transition to practice programs, and skills-based competency programs. Around the world, ANCC-accredited organizations provide nurses with the knowledge and skills to help improve care and client outcomes.
Read more about the American Nurses Credentialing Center
National League for Nursing: The focus of the National League for Nursing (NLN) is to promote excellence in nursing education. The NLN establishes standards and evaluates nursing education programs, promotes faculty development, funds nursing education research, and publishes the research journal Nursing Education Perspectives.[1]
Read more about the National League for Nursing.
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) is one of the organizations that provide accreditation for nursing education to recognize educational institutions or programs that have been found to meet or exceed standards and criteria for educational quality. ACEN provides accreditation for each of the 16 technical colleges in the Wisconsin Technical College System. As a nursing student, you may be asked to provide vital feedback to ACEN site visitors on your nursing program.
Read more about ACEN accreditation.
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education: The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing.
Read more about CCNE accreditation.
National Student Nurses’ Association: The mission of the National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA) is to “mentor students preparing for initial licensure as registered nurses, and to convey the standards, ethics, and skills that students will need as responsible and accountable leaders and members of the profession.”[2] NSNA holds national conventions and publishes the journal Imprint.
Read more about the National Student Nurses’ Association.
Specialty Nursing Organizations: There are many specialty organizations that provide certification, publish scope of practice documents for that specialty, and issue position statements.[3] Read more about various specialty organizations:
Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses
Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing
Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses
View this supplementary YouTube video[4] from the former president of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses about important nursing issues.
- Wisconsin Administrative Code. (2024). Chapter N 6 standards of practice for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/n/6.pdf ↵
- National Student Nurses’ Association. (n.d.). About us. https://www.nsna.org/about-nsna.html ↵
- American Nurses Association. (n.d.). Scope of practice. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/scope-of-practice/ ↵
- AMSN MSNCB. (2020, May 6). AMSN...The present [Video]. YouTube. All rights reserved. https://youtu.be/unRSCXdhCgk ↵