Message from the SGNA President: Invest In Yourself With SGNA

Gut Check | Monday, November 25, 2019

SGNA President Lea Anne Myers, MSN RN CGRN

Each year, the SGNA Board of Directors and staff team evaluate current programs and consider new and meaningful ways to make SGNA membership valuable for all nurses and technicians that work within some aspect of gastroenterology (GI). We do this so when the time comes for you to renew your membership, we know we are offering you the best benefits and programming possible.

For every decision made at the board level, we ask: How will this benefit the field of GI/endoscopy and add value to our members? I’ve shared before in detail the impact that being an SGNA member has had on my career and personal life. Let me now share how SGNA membership provides you resources that you can leverage to create momentum in your professional and personal life.

I thought carefully about what to share with you that wouldn’t seem like another “sales pitch.” The obvious value of SGNA membership includes the variety of opportunities for you to connect with others in the GI field (through SGNA Communities), multiple educational events in-person and online (Annual Course, ELearning Center) and platforms that help advance your practice and career (ex: the Infection Prevention Champions Program). We have also put together new initiatives for 2020 that I’m confident you will be excited about. You can read more about them here. We understand your membership in SGNA is an investment and we want to provide you with a great return.

There’s more to membership than meets the eye.

You may be contemplating whether the benefits of SGNA membership outweigh the cost to join or renew. To be honest, that was me many years ago. I worked in endoscopy several years before becoming a member of SGNA and joined to get a discount for a conference I wanted to attend.

It’s common to compare the value of membership to its cost; however, I challenge you to think about the value of membership differently: While SGNA exists to meet the needs of our members, SGNA depends on our members to support the organization. The organization only exists because of the passion, drive and dedication of our members to impact the specialty of GI/endoscopy.

Your membership dues help offset the costs of the many benefits provided, but more importantly, you support the organization with time and talent through volunteer positions. This can include committee work, creating educational programs, researching and writing standards of practice documents and other educational materials, bringing forward innovative ideas to the community at large.

Once I got involved in SGNA, membership became a habit. I didn’t take time to think of the impact it made on my life because it was gradual. It wasn’t until I intentionally reflected on how SGNA has impacted my life that I realized the extent of that impact. I asked myself, “Could I have gotten to the same point without being an SGNA member?” My answer: I may have still gotten the education, but I would never have developed the network of like-minded peers that mentored me. I would never have had the opportunity to help write a practice guideline used by thousands across the U.S. I would never have had the opportunity to serve in a leadership position on a committee and on the SGNA National Board of Directors. I would never have written articles published in an online newsletter.

My challenge to each of you is to leverage your SGNA membership and make the most out of it. Build your resume by volunteering in whatever capacity that enhances and builds up the skillset you want to develop.

Now my “sales pitch” comes full circle: for an average cost of $11.66 a month (or 2 grande lattes), you can propel your professional career forward. Make a commitment by not only joining, but also truly having a voice through purposeful volunteerism in SGNA.

The Tangible Benefits of Membership

Connection

As a member, you have more ways than ever before to connect with over 8,000 nurses, technicians and industry representatives in the field of gastroenterology.

With SGNA Communities online, you can interact with others across the country regarding questions or challenges you might be facing. It’s been very exciting to see this forum grow and experience members helping members. We’re all in this together!
Our Special Interest Groups (SIGs) provide another avenue to connect with others on more focused specialties within GI.
Attending education events on a regional and national level provides the opportunity to have live interaction with other GI professionals. I’ve developed strong and supportive friendships that are invaluable to me through attending these events.

Education and Best Practices

SGNA members have the benefit of accessing continuing education at reduced rates. We have a variety of platforms, including live events on a regional and national level, webinars, and online education. You have access to The Inside Tract, which provides you with announcements, association news and the latest trends. Your membership also includes a subscription to the Gastroenterology Nursing Journal.

Advance your Practice and Career

Membership provides the chance to serve at a regional and/or national level in a variety of committees. This type of service provides experience working with teams, leadership opportunities and further enhances your networking opportunities.

Interested in joining SGNA? Learn more and get started here. If you’d like to renew your membership, follow this link. For any questions, call SGNA at 800.245.7462 or email info@sgna.org.