About
The Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, or SGNA as it is often referred to instead, is the only organization that exists to ensure that nurses with a specific interest in this field are supported. There are numerous benefits to belonging to this society and there are numerous different subgroups that you can belong to depending on the specific area of the country in which you live. Membership with a society such as this one improves your employment opportunities in addition to significantly improving your skill set and confidence in your job.
Mission Statement
“The Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates is a professional organization of nurses and associates dedicated to the safe and effective practice of gastroenterology and endoscopy nursing. SGNA carries out its mission by advancing the science and practice of gastroenterology and endoscopy nursing through education, research, advocacy, and collaboration, and by promoting the professional development of its members in an atmosphere of mutual support”.
Membership Benefits
As with all professional organizations, there are a number of benefits involved in belonging to the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates:
- You will have many opportunities for education through national and regional education courses
- You will have many opportunities for networking through national and regional education courses
- You will have many opportunities for viewing new product developments through national and regional education courses
- You will have access to a number of publications that will be invaluable in your career, such as six annual issues of Gastroenterology Nursing, the SGNA’s journal, and a subscription to SGNA News, the SGNA’s newsletter
- Most importantly you will be able to achieve on certification through the American Board of Certification for Gastroenterology Nurses (ABCGN) at a significantly discounted rate as a member of the SGNA
- A comprehensive Online Membership Directory is available to members to assist them in their job as well as in their career development
- The association has an excellent employment network in place which you can use to connect to new positions and careers that may suit our skill set
- Opportunities for volunteer participation on national committees and task forces, ranging from awards to research are also available
- In addition, through your membership, you will have the opportunity to influence policy and legislation at the national level
- There are a number of Award and Scholarship opportunities through offered through the SGNA Education and Research initiatives which exist to help students with limited means achieve their educational goals
- Continuing education and Contact Hours are available through SGNA education materials and Annual Course attendance
- You will also have access to a Speaker Resource Database to locate expert speakers on various GI/Endoscopy related topics.
- Again, reduced fees are available for members for registration at national education courses, for independent study module contact hours, for purchase of SGNA publications and for SGNA Marketplace merchandise
The following fees are valid:
- Annual Dues: $125.00
- Two-Year Dues: $235.00
- 18 Month Dues (July 1, 2012 – December 31, 2013): $205.00
If you would like to find out more, or if you would like to apply for membership with this association, please visit this link and click on the Online Membership Application link available under “How to join”.
Membership Types
There are several different membership types that you need to be aware of when applying for membership:
- General Membership costs $110 and is for all Registered, Practical or Vocational Nurses
- Associate Membership costs $100 and is for all retired nurses & non-nurses involved in orthopedic practice
- NSNA Membership costs $40 and is for all students enrolled in an initial degree program who are also members of the National Student Nurses Association
- Student Membership costs $50 and is for all Students enrolled in an initial degree program
There are discounts for groups. If the group has 5 to 9 new members, a 5% discount is offered. If the group has 10 to 19 new members, a 10% discount is offered. If the group has 20 or more new members, a 20% discount is offered.
Career Center
The SGNA website includes a career center that you can access if you are a member who is looking for a job. What this career center does is cot connects you with potential employees who are looking for someone with your particular skill set. This is done in a number of different ways. Firstly it is possible for you to post your resume on the website. Prospective employers can then read through the resumes that are there and decide whether or not any of the candidates listed are worth contacting for an interview. In addition employers can list job postings. This allows you, as a member of the association, to look through the various job options and see if there are any that suit your particular needs and career aspirations. Although the page is not well laid out, it is still worth visiting here.
Scholarships
Many individuals who would very much like to become nurses do not, in fact, achieve this goal purely due to financial constraints. Through the Society of Gastroenterology there are a number of scholarship opportunities available for nurses and prospective nurses who have a particular interest in this field:
- Advanced Associates Program Scholarship
- Associates Program Scholarship
- SGNA Membership Dues Scholarship
- SGNA Annual Course Scholarships
- SGNA Novice Nurse/Associate Scholarship
- SGNA RN General Education Scholarship
- SGNA RN Advancing Education Scholarship
- SGNA Research Grants
- Gabriele Schindler Clinical Excellence Award
- Distinguished Service Award
- Outstanding Regional Society Award
- Regional Society Member of the Year
If you would like to find out more about each of these scholarship opportunities, please visithere.
SGNA Regional Societies
The following is a list of Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates state societies available with the number of members each has in brackets after the society’s name:
Alabama Regional Society (02)
Pacific Northwest Regional Society (58)
Arizona Regional Society (03)
Arkansas Regional Society (04)
Northern California Regional Society (6)
Southern California Regional Society (7)
Rocky Mountain Regional Society (8)
Connecticut (9)
Chesapeake Regional Society (27)
Old Dominion Regional Society (62)
Delaware Regional Society (10)
Central Florida Regional Society (11)
Florida’s First Coast Regional Society (13)
Florida Gulf Coast Regional Society (12)
Palm Beach Treasure Coast Regional Society (69)
Greater Orlando Regional Society (14)
South Florida Regional Society (16)
Georgia Regional Society (17)
Hawaii Regional Society (18)
Mountain West Regional Society (57)
Pacific Northwest Regional Society (58)
Chicago Regional Society (20)
Central Illinois Regional Society (19)
Indiana Regional Society (21)
Midwest Regional Society (22)
Heartland Regional Society (60)
Kentucky Regional Society (23)
Louisiana Regional Society (25)
Maine Regional Society (26)
Chesapeake Regional Society (27)
Old Dominion Regional Society (62)
New England Regional Society (28)
Michigan Regional Society (29)
Minnesota Regional Society (30)
Mississippi Regional Society (31)
Gateway Regional Society (32)
Heartland Regional Society (60)
Pacific Northwest Regional Society (58)
Midwest Regional Society (22)
Rocky Mountain Regional Society (8)
Nevada Regional Society (33)
New England Regional Society (28)
Central New Jersey Regional Society (35)
Northern New Jersey Regional Society (36)
Ocean/Monmouth Regional Society (67)
New Mexico Rio Grande Regional Society (66)
Long Island Regional Society (39)
Hudson Valley Regional Society (38)
Central New York Regional Society (37)
Western New York Regional Society (41)
New York Metropolitan Regional Society (40)
Eastern North Carolina Regional Society (42)
Western North Carolina Regional Society (43)
Minnesota Regional Society (30)
North Coast Ohio Regional Society (44)
Ohio Regional Society (45)
Maumee Bay Regional Society (68)
Northeastern Oklahoma Regional Society (61)
Central Oklahoma Regional Society (46)
Pacific Northwest Regional Society (58)
Pennsylvania Regional Society (47)
New England Regional Society (28)
Low Country Regional Society (49)
Carolina Regional Society (48)
Midwest Regional Society (22)
Rocky Mountain Regional Society (8)
Tennessee Regional Society (50)
Greater Fort Worth Regional Society (52)
North Texas Regional Society (55)
Greater Houston Regional Society (53)
East Texas Regional Society (51)
South Central Texas Regional Society (56)
Greater SW Texas Regional Society (54)
Mountain West Regional Society (57)
Rocky Mountain Regional Society (8)
Vermont Regional Society (63)
Old Dominion Regional Society (62)
Chesapeake Regional Society (27)
Blue Ridge (05)
Pacific Northwest Regional Society (58)
Wisconsin Regional Society (59)
West Virginia Regional Society (64)
Rocky Mountain Regional Society (8)
The SGNA website provides information on which f these chapters is closest to you. Belonging to an individual chapter can make a significant difference in your life as you will be able to influence policy at a local level in a way that directly affects you and those you work with closely. In general there are a number of advantages to belonging to a society such as this one, and these simply cannot be overlooked when making your decision on this score. If you would like to find out more about the society, the best way is to contact it directly:
401 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL
60611-4267
Phone: 800/245-7462
In Illinois: 312/321-5165
Fax: 312/673-6694
