The establishment and membership of professional associations is a common practice in various fields, because they promote the development of the skills of the participants and the work system more widely. However, nurses are particularly important and necessary, because people’s lives depend on the constant communication of health professionals and access to the most important information. Obstetrics and gynecology organizations are also critical to the medical community, as many people’s lives often depend on the work of doctors and nurses in the field.
The establishment and membership of professional associations is a common practice in various fields, because they promote the development of the skills of the participants and the work system more widely. However, nurses are particularly important and necessary, because people’s lives depend on the constant communication of health professionals and access to the most important information. Obstetrics and gynecology organizations are also critical to the medical community, as many people’s lives often depend on the work of doctors and nurses in the field. Therefore, this article examines the Women’s Health, Maternity and Neonatal Nurses Association to identify the main benefits and opportunities of membership in this organization.
The Association of Women’s Health, Maternity and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) is an organization that unites nurses to improve the quality of services and care for women and newborns. AWHONN’s primary mission is to support and empower nurses who care for women and their families through advocacy, research and education (“AWHONN”, 2020). In other words, the purpose of the association is to provide opportunities and encourage all initiatives related to the professional development of medical professionals. That is why their vision is expressed in the slogan: “Changing the lives of women and newborns” (“From AWHONN”, 2020). This vision is more precisely reflected in the goals of the organization, which are conveyed in the creation of a social network that promotes diversity, visibility, professional expertise and quality infrastructure (“AWHONNist”, 2020). Thus, the importance of the association is expressed in the fact that it offers various opportunities for the development of nurses to improve working conditions and the quality of nurses in the field.
At the same time, AWHONN offers its members various benefits for professional and personal development. First, members have access to the latest training materials and courses to improve their skills. Access to reliable and up-to-date medical sources is critical to maintaining professional standards; therefore this opportunity is crucial for nurses. In addition, the structure of the association encourages its members to communicate between different departments, hospitals and specialists, which allows nurses to share their experiences. Another advantage is lobbying and access to a database of open jobs, scholarships and grants. Therefore, members of the association can find opportunities for both scientific and material support.
The most important feature of AWHONN is that it creates networking opportunities for its members and thus encourages the sharing of professional knowledge. Khanum et al. (2016) argue that communication between healthcare professionals ensures safety and promotes better patient outcomes. Constant communication is paramount for gynecology nurses, as a holistic approach to the research and development of new treatments is crucial for the health of women and newborns. At the same time, employees from different hospitals or cities can jointly develop new solutions and promote them through networking.
In general, communication between nurses is critical in this field, as various organizations reduce mortality and injury to women and children during and after childbirth through volunteer work and training programs. For example, Taylor (2015) states that collaboration between various international organizations reduced the number of women who died during pregnancy or childbirth from 56,000 deaths in 1990 to 287,000 deaths in 2010. AWHONN also offers volunteer opportunities to improve leadership and acquire or share a new specialty. skills (“Volunteer”, 2020) ). The organization also organizes online and offline events where its members can exchange ideas, find like-minded people or explore funding. For example, the website has a list of annual conferences that are partially canceled or postponed due to the pandemic (“Upcoming Events”, 2020). However, AWHONN offers nurses many networking opportunities that support their professional growth.
AWHONN has several ways to notify members of changes in the field and organization. First, any visitor to the website can go to the News, Advocacy and Publications section to learn about the latest events, accidents, changes and plans of the organization. In addition, members of the association receive a newsletter by e-mail so that they do not miss the latest news. Another important part of AWHONN’s activities is the publication of the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing. Members have a free magazine subscription. In this way, members of the association can read about the latest research, approaches and findings of nursing and increase their level of knowledge. Thus the members of AWHONN receive extensive information about the internal activities of the association and also about events in the field of obstetrics and gynecology in general.
In addition, AWHONN offers many opportunities for training nurses. First, the association’s website has a number of courses on various topics, such as anaphylactoid syndrome of pregnancy or the effects of opioid use on breastfeeding, which are free or discounted for members (“Online Shop”, 2020). Annual medical conferences and the use of scientific journals are also useful sources of education. In addition, AWHONN offers training programs that cover topics for training and continuing education, such as the Neonatal Orientation and Education Program (2020). Research or training grants and scholarships can also be found on the website of the nursing organization (“Awards, grants and scholarships”, 2020). As a result, AWHONN offers many opportunities for education and professional development for obstetric and gynecology nurses.
In short, it can be stated that the Association of Women’s Health, Maternity and Neonatal Nurses is an important and necessary organization for the work of nurses in the field, which provides opportunities for their professional development. The structure and events of the association allow nurses to exchange ideas and network, courses, scientific journals and other practices contribute to education and professional development. Continuous improvement of theoretical and practical skills is crucial for professionals caring for women and newborns in the first days of life. Their actions and choices ensure a healthy future for new members of society and families. Therefore, the Association of Women’s Health, Maternity and Neonatal Nurses and similar organizations are indispensable factors for the quality work of nurses.
