This past February, members of the Executive Board and other volunteer leaders met to develop a strategic plan for the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON). Strategic planning involves intentionally setting goals (choosing a desired future) and developing an approach to achieving those goals.
Strategic planning is a management tool used by organizations to stay focused on the mission, to set priorities, and to foster growth and development. It is a roadmap to ensure that members of the organization are working toward the same goals and to assess and adjust the organization's direction in response to a changing environment. The process incorporates information about the present and anticipates the environment in which the organization will be working in the future.
A SWOT analysis was conducted, where-by strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to NAON's mission were identified. In addition, trends in healthcare and in professional organizations were discussed in relation to the following: demographics, education, politics, legislation, economics, and technology. The group engaged in a knowledge-based and creative dialogue, which yielded a number of critical insights.
Strategic priorities were determined by using NAON's mission and vision as guidelines. The mission of NAON is to advance the specialty of orthopaedic nursing through excellence in research, education, and nursing practice. The vision for NAON is the preferred future that guided the goal setting for the strategic plan, in alignment with the mission and core values. Three goals were formulated and subsequent objectives to operationalize the strategic plan.
The first goal refers to research, education, and practice: Orthopaedic nurses will incorporate NAON's evidence-based standards into the care of their orthopaedic patients. Several objectives were identified as a means to meet this goal. NAON looks to increase the scope, consensus, and access to evidence-based education and standards of orthopaedic care. In addition, NAON would like to increase the number of nurses using NAON's education to further their orthopaedic knowledge, including redesigning and promoting a defined training program for advanced practice orthopaedic nurses, as trends are demonstrating an increase in the number of advanced practice nurses.
The next goal addresses leadership: NAON leaders will be visionary stewards of the profession of orthopaedic nursing. The corresponding objectives include increasing knowledge about leadership within the association and increasing the number of competent leaders within the association. NAON looks to develop and implement a process of consistent, effective communication among members, leaders, to each other.
The final goal of NAON's strategic plan is a two-part goal that addresses advocacy and recognition: NAON will be the primary advocate for orthopaedic nurses and their patients. One objective to meet this goal is to increase members' access to timely and relevant regulatory and legislative information. This will be accomplished through the new and improved NAON Web site as well as through efforts of the new Government Relations/Advocacy Committee.
The second part of the final goal is as follows: NAON members will be recognized as the most qualified providers of orthopaedic care throughout the healthcare continuum, and all healthcare employers will acknowledge the importance of NAON membership. NAON seeks to increase patient and public awareness of NAON nurses as brokers of orthopaedic knowledge, to increase healthcare providers' and employers' recognition of the importance of the roles and responsibilities of nursing in orthopaedic care, and to acknowledge the value of active NAON membership and involvement.
This new strategic plan was introduced at the 2007 Congress in St. Louis, and various committees and Task Forces met to develop action plans to move the plan forward. The strategic plan does not belong to just the executive board or to the committees and task forces, but it belongs to each and every NAON member. I encourage every member to visit the new NAON Web site, http://www.orthonurse.org, and to review the strategic plan in its entirety. We all have a part in determining our association's future. What will your contribution to NAON be?