Despite Nu Zeta efforts to recruit, engage, and sustain growth, the chapter membership declined over the past 10 years. The chapter officers were alerted, and responded by working collaboratively to better understand the unique needs of our membership. The chapter board decided that an earnest effort was needed to overcome barriers to member recruitment, engagement, and retention. Initial findings identified the cost of yearly dues, inconvenient location or times for monthly meetings, and that professionals did not perceive the professional purpose or benefits of being a member in our local chapter.
The Nu Zeta Chapter board responded using a three prong approach. First and foremost, the chapter board worked on being authentic related to person and finances. Given our rural location, people know one another, and taking the time to acknowledge fellow members socially and in formal settings was important. The chapter board also decided to maintain membership dues and work more on fund raisers to cover increasing budgetary demands. Additionally, the chapter amended meeting times to lunch hours and evenings, and we are providing members a zoom online meeting option. Secondly, Nu Zeta utilized social media. As Gruenberg (2015) mentioned, members tend to develop closeness through daily networking, and therefore board members worked on developing the website and local Facebook association to communicate and display benefits for continued membership.
The third and most intense work was focused on the value of being a member of Nu Zeta for direct access to sources of information and standards based on evidence that keep nurses informed and educated (Hopkins, et al., 2016). The Nu Zeta Chapter decided to focus on concentrated efforts to provide its members with opportunities to attend professional programs. The audience is informed of these presentations through social media, the chapter’s website and the local university and hospital.
The latest program presented in April 2017, Looking Beyond the Surface: Human Trafficking and the Healthcare Response, was presented by Tina Peck MSN, RN SANE-A, SANE-P. The audience for this presentation included Nu Zeta members, local nursing professionals and nursing students. The purpose of the presentation was to inform nurses and nursing students of how human trafficking victims may present, how the person may be transported, and areas where human trafficking occurrences are high. A tool developed by the presenter along with her facility was provided as a pocket guide that professionals could have on them at all times to assist with implementation of the next steps should human trafficking be suspected. This program was offered free to all members, Registered Nurses and nursing students.
Upcoming plans for Nu Zeta programs include a leadership presentation at the induction banquet empathizing ways to help new registered nurses tackle and thrive in new leadership roles, as well as how others can help encourage leadership in all areas. The chapter’s board member in collaboration with another faculty member will present this presentation. A program that is planned for June includes a hot topic in healthcare currently concerning opioids. This presenter will be presenting over a tool that she has developed to help with the opioid crisis as it pertains to family medicine. This program will also be available to Nu Zeta Members, local nursing professionals and nursing students, providing continuing education credits for attending.
The Nu Zeta Board is proud to announce that our collaborative efforts to address membership recruitment and engagement is being positively impacted. In the recent statistics provided to the chapter, we discovered that our fiscal year chapter retention rate for 2017 is 72% (compared to 66% in 2016) and the fiscal year chapter acceptance rate for 2017 is 72% (compared to 30% in 2016). We acknowledge that our efforts to recruit and engage members is only beginning, but Nu Zeta is proud to be making a difference with our membership. Nu Zeta believes in the value of STTI, and we are striving to make an impact on our membership for improved nursing services, increased knowledge and skills for better patient care, and a membership that is empowered to exercise their professional rights.