planning strategically

leadership/management Strategic Plan/Planning Strategically MAUREEN IACONO,

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N EARLY 2000, ASPAN undertook a critical strategic planning process to update its strategic long-range direction. The Strategic Plan will be available in printed format for the members of the Representative Assembly during the April 2001 National Conference in Boston, MA. The plan will be a working document, which indicates that as some goals/strategies are reached, they will be removed from the printed Plan. The Plan will project for 3 to 5 years, if well written and valuable to the membership. This article will offer an overview of the steps ASPAN followed to develop a meaningful plan and to guide ASPAN members at the Component level to articulate goals and strategies for Component strength, viability, and future success. The process of strategic planning for ASPAN has undergone some significant changes in the past 2 years. This does not mean that the format, process, or committees of the past were on the wrong track! Instead, it supports the notion that a Strategic Plan is about change. There is no need to develop a strategic plan that tells ASPAN to continue to do what it is already doing. A strategic plan begs the question, “What is it that we are not doing today and must be doing in the future to be successful?” The strategic document then serves as a constant written reminder of what must be changed annually to steer successfully into the future and leave a better organization than the one that was inherited. The current Strategic Plan Committee structure has evolved from a separate select committee, to a blend of 3 members at large, and representatives of the ASPAN Board of Directors. The ASPAN Directors representing the triad of our mission, Practice, Education, and Research, are integral to the process and are acutely aware of the most current, salient issues affecting their related committee work and the work of perianesthesia nurses. The ASPAN president elect Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing, Vol 16, No 2 (April), 2001: pp 103-106

BSN, RN, CPAN

and the immediate past president provide valuable threads and connections to the inner workings of ASPAN and those issues on the national level that affect the Society and how ASPAN is perceived by others. They have first-hand information on our current influence in the health care arena. The ASPAN chief executive officer (CEO) (formerly Executive Director) offers expertise and a broad-based knowledge of the financial and overall status of ASPAN. An expert in Strategic Planning has facilitated the process of developing the Strategic Plan for the past 2 years, and this past July, a plan was created that will be presented to the ASPAN Representative Assembly in April 2001, during the National Conference. WHAT IS ASPAN’S DIRECTION?

Developing the Strategic Plan at the national and component levels requires leaders to ask, what do we want to be like, and look like in the future, and what do we have to do now to achieve that success? Strategic planning is about change. It works best when we explore what we need to change internally, and what external factors (pressures, opportunities) affect our specialty from outside. What will constitute success for ASPAN in the future? Two fundamental questions have to be answered. The first is, where is ASPAN going— what is our future direction? Secondly, why are we going there? In other words, what is our reason for existence, and what are our core purposes?

Maureen Iacono, BSN, RN, CPAN, is a Nurse Manager, PACU and PAT, St Joseph’s Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, NY. Address correspondence to Maureen Iacono, BSN, RN, CPAN, 102 Cedar Ln, Jamesville, NY 13078. © 2001 by American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. 1089-9472/01/1602-0006$35.00/0 doi:10.1053/jpan.2001.22598 103

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To answer the the first question, each committee member performed an analysis before our meeting, which was submitted and collated with all the others to be assessed. The worksheets assigned the following tasks: first, identify 5 major external forces that you believe will have an impact on your nursing specialty in the next 5 to 10 years—the future environment or world of your members. These trends may represent either future external opportunities or threats to ASPAN. They could be in the areas of business, finance, technology, government, not-forprofit, or worldwide changes. The second sheet required us to identify 5 major internal areas in which ASPAN must change in the future to (1) better serve members; (2) provide improved benefits and value; and (3) sustain organizational success. These areas could include structure, operations, procedures, scope of operations, financial challenges, program portfolio, governance, staff communications, marketing, and volunteerism. We wanted to focus on how ASPAN will need to be different. The answers given will not surprise you, and can readily be applied at the component level. External Assumptions These are issues that may represent either future opportunities or threats to ASPAN. The issues identified were as follows:

and the funding for education to increase. This will create a more marketable profession and increased public awareness of nursing and its value to health care. ● Sources of funding are shrinking. Funding assistance from vendors affects ASPAN’s National Conference Exhibits, attendance, seminar attendance, and other funded portions of the Conference. Internal Assumptions Internal assumptions address what needs to change now within ASPAN to successfully move into the future and to better serve its members. The primary areas identified included the following:

● Better market/communicate the value and benefits of belonging to ASPAN to members.

● Make better use of advanced technology in

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● Reimbursement issues are driving anesthesia

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and surgical practices to do more with less, to cut critical corners, and to prioritize quantity over quality. The staggering increase in numbers of freestanding and office-based surgical practices will pose new challenges in terms of maintaining standards of care as well as alienating perianesthesia nurses from traditional networking and support. There will also be increased ambulatory surgery cases. The nursing shortage as projected will threaten the aging and dwindling population of perianesthesia nurses. The issue of managed care will continue to challenge us. Associations and other for-profit and academic enterprises are becoming direct competitive threats to ASPAN and are threatening its survival. The law of supply and demand may eventually cause the salaries for professional nurses

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program delivery and Society communications (Internet, Web site, distance learning, electronic publishing, access to knowledge, and teleconferencing). Create additional value and benefits for members, and be more responsive in providing this value to better attract and retain members. Offer more timely publications. Provide increased opportunities for Internet participation in ASPAN; have a world-class Web site for internal nursing education and knowledge exchange, and external public and patient education about the specialty. Market perianesthesia nursing to key external stakeholders. Continue to develop and provide leadership institutes that focus on local components and volunteer opportunities. Significantly improve communications up, down, and across the Society. Review required future staff functions, expertise, and required resources (funding, technology, marketing, nursing director in National Office). Develop cross-training and retraining programs. Collaborate more with universities (schools of nursing at all levels). Increase funding procurement, grants, endowments, and visibility of the ASPAN Foundation with corporate sponsors and potential donors. Develop long-range financial planning to ensure future financial stability and security.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

● Become a strong political advocate for the ● ● ● ● ● ●

efficacy of innovative pain management modalities. Be recognized as a premiere educator for specialty and ambulatory surgery. Conduct additional market/member assessment and research to better understand what members and nonmembers want and need. Create a nimble infrastructure to better enable the Society to be fluid, flexible, and responsive. Attract new volunteers and be more volunteer user friendly. Ensure research-based education, which is vital to ASPAN’s credibility. Increase collaboration and strategic partnerships with other organizations. ASPAN’S ENVISIONED FUTURE

The big picture was articulated by using the external and internal assumptions. The ASPAN Mission, Vision, and Standards for Ethical Practice were reexplored. The envisioned future set the tone and direction for the strategic planning process. By 2005, ASPAN will

● have increased visibility and be the widely

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recognized leader and voice of the specialty for patients, the community, membership, industry, and the media; be financially secure and stable; have a reshaped infrastructure that is fluid, flexible, and responsive, as well as user friendly to the realities of the limited amount of time future volunteers will have to give; have a larger and more diverse membership and be more attractive to new members (high quality, very professional, and active); be the influential public policy advocate for perianesthesia nursing; be in the business of proactively providing members with access to knowledge; use new technology for delivery of improved products, programs, and services; hold the reputation for providing high value that is well worth the dues; possess an integrated marketing plan for both members and selected external publics; maintain a strong consultative relationship with Components; maintain strong communicaton with members; foster internal and external research;

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● experience increased international activities; ● have paid nurses (expertise and credibility) on staff (Nurse Director at the National Office);

● offer internship program for perianesthesia nurses; and

● be involved in successful strategic alliances and partnerships to bring additional value to members to fulfill ASPAN’s mission. The issues that can be addressed within the daily workings of ASPAN were also identified. We wish to create more value for members, increase growth and retention, member involvement, the trust that will build relationships, and foster an enjoyable community. We want to improve and formalize volunteer leadership succession planning, and leadership development at all levels. It is prudent to review Board composition, committee work and structure, and business as usual. ASPAN is no longer with a management company; this singularly significant change within the past year means we are self-managed, and the members, through the Board and the Representative Assembly, run the Society. The office staff at our National headquarters works solely for, and is all about, ASPAN. We need to review staff’s current capabilities, expertise, capacity, and resources to ensure the successful support and implementation of the long-range strategic plan. We want to develop plans to increase and optimize communications with members and key stakeholder groups—intense, effective communication up, down, and across the Society. To ensure financial security, it is necessary to create more diversified and new sources of non-dues revenue, and to present options for dues plans. Budget policies can potentially create positive retained earnings, and business plans with marketing and cost/benefit analysis will allocate resources prudently. Is our envisioned future realistic? Or is it a big, audacious vision that is just too big? ASPAN has a monumental commitment to its members, and humbly recognizes the responsibility of the Society to each member. The motto “Everything in moderation” may at times be altered to “Do a few things really well.” The desire to do everything we can to be bigger, better, more effective, more responsive is appropriate! We remain most true to our members as we strive toward high goals and expect the best outcomes.

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ASPAN’S CORE PURPOSE/REASON FOR EXISTENCE

The final step, before the simple and concise Strategic Plan is articulated, is to answer the second fundamental question. What about ASPAN should never change? It is our core ideology, which is composed of core values and core purpose. Determining what is sacred to the Society, and, therefore, is unchanging, helps reaffirm the character, strength, and purpose of our specialty organization. Core values are a small set of timeless guiding principles; they are essential and enduring tenets of the Society. Our mission, in a nutshell, tells us that “. . . ASPAN advances nursing practice through education, research and standards.”1 ASPAN’s vision statement says, “Advancing the art and science of perianesthesia nursing through patient advocacy, clinical expertise, innovation, education, standards development, research and leadership.”1 The words may be refined and reworked, but essentially the message endures that the reason ASPAN exists and continues to have meaning is that the Society serves nurses who practice perianesthesia nursing. We do it well, we are the leader and the expert in our specialty practice. We remain committed to the patients we serve, to society at large, and to the future of nursing; but our core purpose as a Society is to serve our members. DEVELOPING THE STRATEGIC PLAN

The format for a Component Strategic Plan can mimic or copy the ASPAN Strategic Plan; this plan will be available at the Representative Assembly, 2001. The work that was performed to brainstorm and plot out the ASPAN plan can be performed on the Component level as well, and can serve to promote component success and visioning for the next 3 to 5 years. The structure was set up with 3 headings: goals, strategies, and milestones. A goal is an unbounded statement that describes the condition or attribute that the Society seeks to obtain. ASPAN articulated 4 goals; each one is of equal priority to the other. They need to pass the following tests: are they appropriate, necessary, feasible, and sufficient? An example of a goal is: ASPAN will be the acknowledged advocate for perianesthesia public policy. Strategies are listed under each goal; these begin with an action verb (develop, design, improve) and

help launch the plan. They indicate how ASPAN will organize, focus, and expend resources and actions to effectively achieve the goal. For example, a strategy under that goal would be, “Sit at the table with regulatory agencies.” How will we know we are getting there? When would that strategy move off the Strategic Plan? Once the strategy is moved into an action plan, or actualized into formal work, we measure with milestones, and remove that strategy into the format of action plan, or committee plans. Milestones, or checkpoints, are used to determine the overall progress toward each goal. The milestone is a catalyst to help the Board review the progress of the Strategic Plan. An example of a concrete milestone would be increased invitations for ASPAN to participate in JCAHO task forces, advisory panels, and speaker’s bureau. ASPAN’s Strategic Plan, when printed, will be confined to less than 3 typed pages. The guiding principle now is this: ASPAN is planning strategically for a future with a vision that extends 3 to 5 years from this year. This working document will be clear, effective, and meaningful, and will assist ASPAN toward a secure and successful future. The ASPAN Board of Directors has the responsibility to keep the strategies pertinent and to commit resources necessary to accomplish what it has prioritized. As the climate of health care and the needs and challenges of the Society change, so too the Strategic Plan may change, under the careful consideration of the Board. ASPAN Components may adopt the Strategic Plan for Component use, and may refine the wording to meet their individual needs. Clearly, many of the challenges identified on the national level affect practice in multiple settings and have universal application. Once the Strategic Plan is available for Component distribution during the National Conference, the Strategic Planning Committee can assist Component leaders to apply the methods used this past year globally for ASPAN to guide in Component strategic planning. Components who have initiated the process of planning strategically will be best situated to envision a secure and successful future. REFERENCES 1. ASPAN: Standards of Perianesthesia Nursing Practice 2000. Cherry Hill, NJ, ASPAN, 2000