Factors impacting membership and non-membership in nursing associations: a qualitative study

In this study, the factors impacting membership and non-membership of nurses in nursing associations were identified and described. Participation in semistructured interviews was undertaken by 14 nurses working in a teaching hospital in an urban area of Iran. A qualitative design using a content analysis approach was used to analyze the data, from which three categories emerged: organizations' support of nurses' rights, professional obligations, and organizational power. Each of these categories contained several subcategories. Nurses' expectations of professional organizations might be one of the factors impacting associations being able to increase their membership, while retaining their existing members. Supporting nurses, tackling their professional problems, attempting to increase the power of legislative authorities, and clear explanations of their objectives are among the measures adopted by organizations in aiming to increase membership numbers and enhance organizational power.