When the membership speaks, HPNA listens. The HPNA Board of Directors makes every effort to respond to the voice of membership. Over the past 2 years, we have heard your preferences for electronic communications, and we are working hard to respond. Several changes have been accomplished to date. Those changes include Web site revision, online memberships, electronic newsletters, electronic surveys, listservs, interactive CDs, MP3 educational files, and exploration of other options via electronic modalities.
For many organizations in any sector-public, private, and voluntary-a Web site is a key communications channel. HPNA is moving toward that objective through http://www.HPNA.org. HPNA realizes that members want knowledge dissemination in a timely manner. Most members have access to computers either at home or in the workplace and are accustomed to obtaining information in this way.
HPNA is committed to ensuring that our Web site is effective and responsive to the needs of our members. We are enhancing our Web environment to be more efficient and comprehensive for members and provide information at the click of a mouse. The site menu identifies all of the areas of the Web site and describes the functionality of the site. If you haven't visited recently, you will be amazed by the information available. From position statements to starting a local HPNA Chapter to Patient/Family Teaching Sheets-there is something for all individuals interested in quality end-of-life nursing care. Over the past 2 years, we have experienced a 63% increase in our monthly Web site hits. We are now topping 13,000 hits per month.
The Web site also has been a key means of connecting with the international hospice and palliative community. HPNA has had many countries visit our Web site. The top five international visitors last month came from Canada, Great Britain, Australia, the Philippines, and South Korea. This frequent use of our site is one determinant of its value as a communications asset for HPNA and the international community.
Individuals choosing to join or renew membership online have increased significantly, averaging 50% monthly. More than 85% of our membership has provided e-mail addresses to provide monthly e-newsletters. Another means of electronic communication that has benefited the organization has been the use of electronic surveys. Traditionally through regular mailed surveys our response rate has been around 7%. Over the past year, we have conducted nine electronic surveys and have experienced response rates of 26% to 48%. The information received via this method has been extremely valuable for timely decision making by the Board.
Special Interest Group (SIG) listservs are another example of electronic communication. More than seven SIGs have been actively communicating. There are more than 385 members in total involved in the SIGs. The advanced practice nursing listserv is the largest, with 241 members. Others include public policy (39), research (75), administrative (49), nursing assistant (18), pediatric (35), and geriatric (85). New in 2007 is the diversity SIG. If you are interested in joining an SIG, send an e-mail to [email protected].
During 2006, we developed some new electronic educational products: two interactive CDs and MP3 audio recordings of APN teleconferences. Seeing how successful all of these efforts have been, the future will include evaluating electronic balloting. Our hope is to increase our elections participation outcomes to more than the current level, which is less than 10% participation. Because electronic communication is the way of the future, our efforts will continue to sustain and grow our organization.
Janet Snapp, RN, MSN, CHPN, OCN
President, Hospice and Palliative
Nurses Association