diff --git a/fhirpathpy/engine/invocations/strings.py b/fhirpathpy/engine/invocations/strings.py
index 7d2ebc5..f74c5c6 100644
--- a/fhirpathpy/engine/invocations/strings.py
+++ b/fhirpathpy/engine/invocations/strings.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ def trim(ctx, coll):
 def join(ctx, coll, separator=""):
     stringValues = []
     for n in coll:
-        d = util.valData(n)
+        d = util.get_data(n)
         if isinstance(d, str):
             stringValues.append(d)
         else:
diff --git a/fhirpathpy/engine/util.py b/fhirpathpy/engine/util.py
index 7839e80..589f2e9 100644
--- a/fhirpathpy/engine/util.py
+++ b/fhirpathpy/engine/util.py
@@ -74,9 +74,3 @@ def uniq(arr):
             key = str(x)
         ordered_dict[key] = x
     return list(ordered_dict.values())
-
-
-def valData(val):
-    # Returns the data value of the given parameter, which might be a ResourceNode.
-    # Otherwise, it returns the value that was passed in.
-    return val.data if isinstance(val, ResourceNode) else val