I Am TNA
by Susan R. Jacob, PhD, RN
I am a nurse educator and academic administrator, and I am TNA. I have enjoyed a professional nursing career for 38 years. However, when I chose nursing as a major in college at West Virginia University in the late 60s, I had no idea about the career opportunities that would come my way – from acute care nursing in the hospital to home health and hospice in the community, to education and administration in the academic setting. Each degree, from the BSN to the PhD, has enhanced my knowledge and skills, added to my sense of professionalism, and brought new career opportunities. Each different role that I have had has been extremely rewarding and has increased my fulfillment with nursing as a career.
I am passionate about nursing and am committed to mentoring students and new nurses to achieve their full potential. Through lifelong learning and awareness and involvement in contemporary issues, nurses can maximize both their effectiveness and fulfillment. Contemporary Nursing: Issues, Leadership and Management is a Mosby textbook in its 4th edition that I co-author and co-edit with Barbara Cherry. When we were asked by Mosby to co-edit this book, we designed it to be a text that would help students, as well as practicing RNs, better understand the important legal, ethical, sociocultural, economic and political issues that confront the nursing profession. Only when nurses are aware of the issues can they advocate for their patients and the profession.
Active participation in nursing organizations helps nurses stay abreast of state and national issues that affect their practices. Of all the nursing organizations of which I am a member, I consider TNA the most important. This membership has enhanced my career by connecting me to the American Nurses Association (ANA) and keeping me abreast of what nurses across the nation and state are doing. TNA informs me of the issues I need to be involved in to protect my title and scope of practice. TNA and ANA keep me informed of the latest legislative issues that affect my practice by serving as watchdogs for the profession and guarding the welfare of patients by continual involvement in local, state, and national governmental affairs. The full time lobbying presence at the Tennessee Legislature and the U.S. Congress is something that I personally appreciate as a membership benefit. If I received no other membership benefit from TNA/ANA, I would consider this one more than worth the small dues I pay.
TNA provides a network of colleagues from across the far reaching state of Tennessee. TNA is the organization that provides the connecting point that brings all registered nurses together, regardless of educational background or specialty, as one voice for nursing in the state of Tennessee. I have derived much satisfaction from my interaction with colleagues across the state by serving on various TNA committees such as the Ethics Committee and Continuing Education Committee, the Tennessee Nurses Foundation, and as a TNA and ANA delegate. My service as a TNA Board Member in the roles of Secretary and Vice President were especially fulfilling.
I encourage every nurse in Tennessee to get involved in any way you can. Volunteering to serve on committees or in elected positions will provide high level involvement in the most current and pressing issues affecting the nursing profession, as well as providing the important networking with colleagues across the state. However, there are different seasons of life that afford opportunities for different degrees of involvement, depending on personal and professional responsibilities. If you are in a season that prevents active involvement on committees and in District and state meetings, you can do your part by paying dues to the association that is the voice for all registered nurses in Tennessee. This will enable the organization to continue to provide the many benefits that they currently provide for all registered nurses in Tennessee such as legislative lobbying for issues that affect nursing and health care, continuing education, career assistance, discounted ANA publications, and many discounted items such as long term care insurance and liability insurance.
Susan R. Jacob, PhD, RN, is Executive Associate Dean and Professor for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Nursing in Memphis.