Factors Influencing Utah Nurse Practitioners' Decisions to Join Nurse Practitioner Associations

While the benefits of professional associations to its members' personal development and ultimately patients are well-established, professional association membership is declining among health professions, including nurse practitioners. Research is available on factors that influence registered nurses' (RN) decisions to join professional associations, but little is known regarding factors influencing the decisions of nurse practitioners (NP). Using the Professional Association Membership Questionnaire (PAMQ), this project surveyed 537 advanced practice registered nurses (APRN); 328 (61.1%) had a current membership in a professional association, and 209 (38.9%) were non-members. While both members and non-members expressed a desire for professional programs, improvement in the profession, and personal development, current members scored significantly higher in each of these factors (professional programs, p <0.001; ef 0.55; improvement of the profession, p <0.001; ef 0.58; personal development, p 0.015; ef 0.23). Our results suggest that factors which influence Utah nurse practitioners' decisions to join professional associations include the desire for professional programs, improvement of the profession, and personal development. In an effort to improve patient outcomes by way of professional membership, nurse practitioner organizations should focus offerings on dissemination of new ideas, networking activities and programs that encourage self-improvement.