Add your input re ANA's strategic goals for 2017–2020 ?

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

ANA's mission:

Nurses Advancing Our Profession to Improve Health for All.

ANA's strategic goals for 2017–2020

The 2017-2020 strategic plan outlines the vision, values, strategic goals, and

strategic objectives that will allow ANA to be a true catalyst for transforming

health care and advancing the nursing profession to improve health for all.

1. Increase the number and engagement of nurses with ANA.

2. Stimulate and disseminate innovation that increases recognition of the value of nursing and drives improvement in health and health care.

3. Leverage the ANA Enterprise to position nurses as integral partners in consumers' health and health care journeys.

ANA's Reference Committee, is asking nurses to submit proposed strategic policy topics aligned with ANA's strategic goals for 2017–2020 to support the Committee's work.

What do you think of these goals? Are they applicable to today's bedside RN or only to academia and Advanced Practice RN's?. Here's your chance to provide input to ANA.

Click the link and provide your topic by responding to three questions!

[CCU BSN RN]

I think they sound like a lot of things in nursing. Really vague, qualitative, and difficult to measure. The only concrete info is 'start a nationwide campaign to make nurses be healthier' and 'get revenue other than dues'. Awesome. They're going to use their resources to remind me that in addition to everything else I do, I also need to exercise and eat kale because I'm a role model for America.

[RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN]

I think they sound like a lot of things in nursing. Really vague, qualitative, and difficult to measure. The only concrete info is 'start a nationwide campaign to make nurses be healthier' and 'get revenue other than dues'. Awesome. They're going to use their resources to remind me that in addition to everything else I do, I also need to exercise and eat kale because I'm a role model for America.

Isn't that the truth! I read it and left the same way I came in. Tired, hopeless and feeling like its the same ol' blah, blah , blah.

[herring_RN, ASN, BSN]

I wish the ANA had included a goal of advocating for mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios for hospital and long term care (SNF) settings.

this is from the ANA, but not included in the Strategic Plan:

State staffing laws tend to fall into one of three general approaches:

• The first is to require hospitals to have a nurse driven staffing committee which create staffing plans that reflect the needs of the patient population and match the skills and experience of the staff.
  
• The second approach is for legislators to mandate specific nurse to patient ratios in legislation or regulation.
  
• A third approach is requiring facilities to disclose staffing levels to the public and /or a regulatory body.
  

The American Nurses Association (ANA) supports a legislative model in which nurses are empowered to create staffing plans specific to each unit. This approach aides in establishing staffing levels that are flexible and account for changes; including intensity of patient's needs, the number of admissions, discharges and transfers during a shift, level of experience of nursing staff, layout of the unit, and availability of resources (ancillary staff, technology etc.). Establishing minimum upwardly adjustable staffing levels is statute may also aide the committee in achieving safe and appropriate staffing plans.

Nurse Staffing

The ANA risks losing members because they are not focusing in safe staffing, which saves lives and prevents nurse burnout:

New York, NY — October 26, 2012 — Nurses have voted by 91% to move forward and disaffiliate from the American Nurses Association.

The nurses, members of the New York State Nurses Association, say they will focus on fighting for working nurses and their patients.

Their number one focus is passing a New York law that would mandate safe nurse-to-patient ratios in hospitals.

New York nurses vote 91% to move forward and leave the American Nurses Association - News & Events - Massachusetts Nurses Association

[OCNRN63, RN]

It felt like reading a prospectus, rather than something geared to nurses.

[TheSocialMediaCoach]

NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN I love that they are considering that the health of Nurses just may connect in some way to the level of care Nurses can provide to others. I mentioned a few suggestions:

I feel like there are social media platforms that reach billions of people. Savvy use of existing tools could be a better way to spend resources. Is there really a need to create, new approaches” to direct relationships with nurses?

I would like Nursing to join the Online Patient communities in their rate of Social Media adoption.

There are existing roles such as Care Coordinators, Navigators and Consultants that are not highlighted as viable career options. Is there really a need for new roles” or is there a need for education on what is already out there?

[saskrn]

Nurse to patient ratios should always be a priority, IMHO. The issue is nothing but a positive one, and increases safety and quality of care. This would also portray nurses in a positive and reassuring light from a public perspective, as nursing shortages seem to be common complaints from inpatients.

With the election of Donald Trump, I'm concerned about what will happen with NAFTA and immigration. Will we lose our nurses from Canada and abroad? The loss of these nurses will make realistic staffing even more unattainable, especially in smaller and more remote locations.

[Natasha A., CNA, LVN]

The pay system should be different. When certain tasks are done based off a pay scale then cutting corners are bound to happen. It is a domino effect.

[herring_RN, ASN, BSN]

See the third paragraph of the attached. The ANA wrote support for ratios in 2012.

Ratios_ANA-HODReports_FINAL_6 21 20121.pdf