Envisioning the Future

Abstract

The Executive Board of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) has embarked on a process of strategic planning. As President, I would like to share with our members the process so that you can understand the thoughtfulness and effort that went into developing this latest version of NAPNAP’s strategic plan. Strategic planning is thought of as an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction over the next 3 to 5 years. Our strategic planning process involved the appointment of a strategic planning committee, two days of face-to-face planning with a strategic planning expert, and webinars held with NAPNAP stakeholders to provide feedback on the proposed future direction of NAPNAP. The first part of the process was to determine NAPNAP’s core ideology. The core ideology describes NAPNAP’s constant identity, an identity that transcends changes related to the environment. NAPNAP’s core identity consists of three notions: the core purpose, mission, and core values. The core purpose describes NAPNAP’s reason for being. The mission describes who NAPNAP is, what NAPNAP does, and how it is done. The core values are described as the enduring principles that guide NAPNAP’s behavior. As a result of this process, the strategic planning committee, board members, and stakeholders reaffirmed that NAPNAP’s core purpose is to promote optimal health care for children. NAPNAP’s mission continues to be to promote child and family health through practice, leadership, advocacy, education, and research. The groups involved in the strategic planning process reasserted that NAPNAP’s core values are: commitment, leadership, and integrity. NAPNAP will continue its commitment to advocating for children and being accountable to its members. Within leadership, NAPNAP pledges to remain visionary and innovative. Integrity is another core value. NAPNAP vows to maintain ethical, legal, transparent, and fiscally-sound operations. The principal goals of the strategic plan focus on four main topics: children’s health, the pediatric nurse practitioner role, advancing practice, and the association (NAPNAP). In order to develop these relevant goals for NAPNAP and its members, a review of current conditions, trends, and assumptions that may affect NAPNAP’s strategic direction was undertaken. Such trends that were taken into account throughout the strategic planning process included demographic trends, political/social value trends, legislation/regulatory trends, business/economic climate trends, and technology/science trends. The Executive Board will conduct an annual review of these trends to help determine and ensure the ongoing relevancy of the goals generated in the strategic plan. In addition to developing goals, the Executive Board developed an “Envisioned Future” which expresses a specific, yet not fully realized vision for NAPNAP and its members. The “Envisioned Future” is a vivid description that describes how things would be different for key stakeholders (employees, members, public, and community) as a result of NAPNAP achieving its goals. The envisioned future for NAPNAP contains four parts:•NAPNAP members are valued as expert leaders in comprehensive pediatric health care.•NAPNAP is recognized and respected as a leader in the movement to promote and provide access to health care for all children and families.•Health care consumers benefit from equality of unrestricted access to pediatric nurse practitioners and advanced practice registered nurses.•NAPNAP is recognized as the premier professional organization for all pediatric nurse practitioners and their health care partners who care for children and their families. The finalized strategic plan will be shared with the full NAPNAP membership. It is hoped that this plan will be a source of inspiration for NAPNAP members, motivating all of us to become more involved in an effort to move the association forward. There are plenty of opportunities for increased involvement in NAPNAP both at the state and national levels. Consider being a member of a committee in your local chapter or at the national level. Give thought to running for an office at the state or national level. The more active and engaged members NAPNAP has, the easier it will be for NAPNAP fulfill its mission, achieve these goals, and realize this envisioned future.