The modern healthcare sector can be characterized by the increased complexity and developed infrastructure needed to provide care to patients and meet their diverse needs. Because of the difficulty and the growing requirements to the quality, health workers should be ready to cooperate, share experiences, and constantly improve their skills. Nurses also play a critical role in the functioning of the sphere as they are responsible for working with clients and providing them with care and guidelines on how to behave. It means that they should remain informed about the newest ways to deliver demanded services to improve outcomes and guarantee faster recovery of patients. Under these conditions, the functioning of professional associations in nursing acquires the top priority as one of the ways to align the improved cooperation between nurses belonging to a particular field and provide them with relevant knowledge. The American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) belongs to this cohort, and its work is vital for the healthcare sector.
AACN was created following the specific mission. The organization states that acute and critical care nurses are vital for patients and their families during the most vulnerable times of their lives (“About AACN,” n.d.). It means that expert knowledge is fundamental for specialists belonging to this cohort for them to remain effective. Under these conditions, AACN’s mission is to drive excellence because it is the key to positive outcomes (“About AACN,” n.d.). The vision of the organization presupposes the creation of the healthcare system driven by patients and their families’ needs and the optimal functioning and contribution of critical care nurses (“About AACN,” n.d.). In such a way, AACN is focused on facilitating the positive change in the existing system by helping nurses to become better specialists.
The members of the organization enjoy several benefits vital for their professional growth. First of all, they acquire access to about 300 free online courses as a part of the training, improvement, and education program created by AACN (“Education,” n.d.). The organization views the continuous evolution as an integral element of the healthcare sector. For this reason, it also provides members with access to an online collection of various resources, such as journals, conference schedules, cards (“Education,” n.d.). Furthermore, all members can use the given materials to learn and prepare for AACN’s certification needed for their further career growth and professional development. The organization can offer scholarships to continue education and become a better specialist (“Education,” n.d.). Finally, there is an opportunity to collaborate with academic nursing leaders to share experiences and evolve (“Education,” n.d.). In such a way, there are multiple advantages available for AACN’s members and vital for their excellence.
The existence of all these benefits creates the basis for the improved functioning of a nurse in the field of critical care. Because of the complexity of challenges peculiar to the sphere and the need for improved decision-making, health workers should possess the relevant and constantly updating knowledge of how to manage various states and assist patients by providing care in the most effective ways. AACN offers resources and information linked to these aspects, making the organization a meaningful part of specialists’ functioning (“Education,” n.d.). The opportunity to look for effective and practical solutions, discuss problematic cases, and consult with other specialists is essential for nurses as it helps them to resolve emerging issues better. For this reason, these benefits are fundamental for nurses working in the field of critical care.
AACN also creates networking opportunities for nurses. For instance, the organization assists specialists and graduates in finding new positions and discovering their occupations (“What is nursing excellence?” n.d.). It cooperates with multiple hospitals across the country and remains informed about the recent changes to ensure that specialists can function inappropriate conditions and contribute to the development of care. The organization also keeps its members informed about recent changes in practice by organizing regular online meetings, conferences, and discussions (“Education,” n.d.). The specialists can share their knowledge, experience and discuss some cases to find the most appropriate decision (“What is nursing excellence?” n.d.). The organization’s website offers members existing opportunities for meetings to keep them informed.
Finally, as has already been mentioned, AACN offers opportunities for education and certification. Using all materials available for them, specialists become able to continue their training to become more effective specialists in a selected sphere and succeed. For this reason, the organization can support these incentives and provide guidance and assistance in the designated area (“What is nursing excellence?” n.d.). In such a way, the work of AACN can be viewed as an important part of the modern healthcare sector. The organization helps critical care nurses to remain informed about the recent changes in practice and apply the newest methods of care delivery to real-life cases to acquire improved outcomes and assist patients in their recovery. The support offered by AACN is critical for further evolution and education. For this reason, organizations of this sort can be viewed as a fundamental aspect of the modern healthcare sector vital for its future growth.
References
About AACN. (n.d.). Web.
Education. (n.d.). Web.
What is nursing excellence? (n.d.). Web.