 NNBA History and Mission
About the NNBA
The National Nurses in Business Association (NNBA), Inc. is a professional association providing information and assistance for nurses to start and grow their businesses.
President
 Patricia Ann Bemis, RN CEN, has held the position of president of the National Nursing in Business Association since 1999. She is the author of Emergency Nursing Bible, 4th Edition (a peer-reviewed textbook); Self-Employed RN, 2nd Edition; and Nurse Entrepreneurs, 4th Edition. She developed the classes CEN Review: ACE the CEN; Is Self-Employment Right for You?; and Self-Employment 101. She presents these classes throughout the country. Her publications and classes offer nursing continuing education in all states. She writes a regular column for RN Magazine on nurse entrepreneurship and one for The Med-Legal News.
History
The NNBA's creation story - David Norris, a critical care nurse from Petaluma, California, envisioned a support system for all nurses who were interested in becoming self-employed or a business owner. The Nurse Entrepreneur’s Exchange: the Newsletter for Business-Minded Nurses was founded, published, and distributed in 1985 in Southern California. It was designed to provide a networking arena for nurse entrepreneurs and to update nurses on healthcare business opportunities. By April of 1988, the newsletter evolved into the National Nurses in Business Association. The NNBA grew quickly to 920 members nationwide by December of 1991 with national workshops and seminars.
Mission
The National Nurses in Business Association's mission is to offer affordable education that meets both the clinical and business needs of the registered nurse.
We provide the education and resources needed to shape your idea into a business concept, design the business legal structure, start the business, and grow it. Since our inception in 1985, NNBA’s experience has shown that nurses easily make the transition into business. We attribute this to the fact that the elements of a successful business strategy are exactly the same as the nursing process: assess, plan, implement, and evaluate.
Typical nursing education, however, does not incorporate a business background; NNBA bridges this critical gap.
Objectives
- act as a national voice which represents nurses in business
- provide information and create new opportunities for nurses in business
- identify career alternatives for nurses in intra- and entrepreneurial frameworks
- provide education and forums to strengthen the effectiveness of nurses in business roles
- monitor, report, and effect legislation influencing nurses in business
- conduct, monitor, and report research related to nurse intra- and entrepreneur
- act as a nationwide communication network for nurses in business
- establish and maintain a national database of nurses in business who have been effective in creating successful, standardized outcomes
- encourage collegial support among entrepreneurial nurses
- develop products and services to meet the unique needs of nurses in business
Future Plans
- introduction of new nontraditional communication methods such as interactive websites, e-commerce, on-line directories, bulletin boards, chat groups, and on-line newsletters
- maintain an extended group of nurses with similar interests or concerns that interact and remain in informal contact for mutual assistance and support—nurses helping nurses
- promote business discounts for NNBA members by utilizing the group strength
- provide assistance finding information on the Internet, within the NNBA’s unique membership, and within the public sectors free informational centers and workshops
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