Categories of Membership
Active — for the ABNS or RCS of Canada certified practicing neurosurgeon residing in the United States or Canada.
Active (Foreign) — for the ABNS or RCS of Canada certified practicing neurosurgeon residing outside the United States or Canada.
Active (Provisional) — for the neurologic surgeon who has completed a training program approved by the ABNS or RCS of Canada within the past five years and has not yet met the certification requirements of the ABNS or the RCS of Canada.
Candidate — for residents who are enrolled in a neurosurgical training program approved by the ABNS or RCS of Canada.
Associate — for those who are not neurosurgeons but have shown distinction in related medical disciplines. Eligible individuals include certified neuroscience nurses and physician assistants. Associate Members are nominated for membership by three voting members of the AANS.
International Associate — for those who reside beyond the United States and Canada but do not qualify for Active (Foreign) membership. International Associates are nominated by three members of the AANS.
Honorary — for those who are recognized internationally for their outstanding education, research, or clinical contributions to neurologic science. The Honorary Member must be proposed by voting members in good standing and approved by the Board of Directors and the voting membership.
For more information and a membership application, contact :
Chrystine L. Hanus
AANS Member Services Manager
(708) 692-9500.
Important News Concerning Associate Membership
During the AANS Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, President Sidney Tolchin, MD formed a Task Force on Associate Membership consisting of four nurses (Julie Broderson, RN, Kathleen Redelman, CNRN, Aileen Staller, CNRN, Mimi Watson Sutherland, CNRN) and three physician assistants (Patrick Cafferty, PA-C, Harold Mazurek, PA-C, and Judy Nunes, PA-C). The mission of this task force is to develop and recommend an ongoing policy base for the productive involvement of nurses and physician assistants in the activities of the AANS.
The task force met for the first time in Orlando, and a great deal of discussion was attributed to two membership-related issues:
- Pre-requisites for admission to membership.
- Membership processing procedures and responsibilities.
The following new guidelines were developed:
- Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse (CNRN)
- Certified Operating Room Nurse (CORN)
- Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN)
- Must be a registered nurse
- Must have spent ten of the last 12 years active in neurosurgical nursing, operating room nursing, critical care nursing, acute care nursing and/or as a clinical nursing specialist; and
- Must be currently in practice
PRE-REQUISITES:
- Physician Assistants – Certification required (PA-C)
Nurses – Certification required, limited to the following three certified categories of nursing:
However, as it was recognized that there still are substantial numbers of uncertified nurses whose work relates to neurosurgery, it was agreed that FOR A LIMITED TIME, UNCERTIFIED NURSES MAY APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP UNDER THE FOLLOWING GRANDFATHER PROVISION:
- An individual must meet the following requirements:
The deadline for receipt of Applications by uncertified nurses wishing to be admitted under the Grandfather Provision is November 30, 1995.
For more information and an Associate membership application,
please contact the AANS Membership Department at 708/692-9500.
We look forward to receiving your application.