The Montana Nurses Association has voted to allow licensed practical nurses to become members, according to an Oct. 9 news release shared with Becker’s.
Delegates approved the change at the association’s recent House of Delegates meeting, expanding membership that was previously open only to registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses.
MNA is a professional nursing association that also provides collective bargaining, and about 91% of its members are covered by collective bargaining agreements, CEO Vicky Byrd, MSN, RN, told Becker’s. The vote opens professional membership to LPNs but does not automatically extend collective bargaining to them, and MNA is not organizing LPNs at this time. Ms. Byrd added that LPNs in Montana do not have a formal statewide professional association.
The vote comes months after the American Nurses Association approved a similar change to include LPNs and licensed vocational nurses in its national membership, and LPNs who join MNA will also become ANA members. Other ANA state affiliates already include LPNs, and some, including Washington’s, represent them through collective bargaining, Ms. Byrd said.
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