{"id":127464,"date":"2024-11-18T20:46:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-18T20:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/?p=127464"},"modified":"2024-11-18T20:46:00","modified_gmt":"2024-11-18T20:46:00","slug":"navtas-powerful-strategies-for-moving-forward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/news\/navtas-powerful-strategies-for-moving-forward\/","title":{"rendered":"NAVTA\u2019s Powerful Strategies for Moving Forward"},"content":{"rendered":"

I<\/span>n the Summer 2024 issue<\/a> of Today\u2019s Veterinary Nurse<\/i>, NAVTA published in this column a very high-level description of its new strategic plan. That column stirred a number of requests for more details and explanations, which I am happy to provide at this time. To begin, I\u2019d like to share the process NAVTA used to <\/span>develop its new strategic plan, since that will help community members understand the context in which conversations took place and decisions were made. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Strategic Planning Process<\/span><\/h3>\n

The process began in September 2023 when NAVTA retained the services of Association Options (AO), a consulting firm with expertise in not-for-profit strategic planning. AO has clients in the veterinary medicine profession, so they understand the vernacular and most of the issues facing the veterinary nursing\/technology profession. AO met with NAVTA\u2019s executive director and reviewed the existing strategic plan from 2020 to 2021. Using that information, as well as their own knowledge of the veterinary profession, AO developed surveys for the NAVTA board of directors and for the entire membership. The surveys polled the audiences on current and future issues in the veterinary world in general, as well as issues specific to NAVTA. Results of these surveys were shared with the board of directors over several Zoom calls in November and December 2023. During this time, AO also conducted 13 different focus group meetings of NAVTA members to drill down deeper into some of the key issues identified in the member survey. Feedback <\/span>from the focus groups was also shared with the board of directors in December 2023. The board of directors then met in person in Chicago over the course of 2\u00a0days in early January (in a windowless room!) to participate in a planning session led by the consultant from AO.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Results<\/span><\/h3>\n

The results of that exhausting 2-day meeting were a revised NAVTA mission statement and laser-like focus on 5 key issues facing the association.<\/span><\/p>\n

The revised mission statement came about as a result of data and conversations showing the need to foster and improve engagement with the next generation of veterinary nurses\/technicians: veterinary nursing\/technology students and veterinary assistants. NAVTA\u2019s mission now encompasses these audiences, in addition to credentialed veterinary technicians, and reads:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNAVTA is a diverse community of credentialed veterinary technicians, students and veterinary assistants, united in advancing the profession of veterinary nursing through strategic advocacy, awareness and professional development.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Based on this new mission statement, the board of directors developed 5 high-priority areas where NAVTA needed to be successful in order to live up to its mission. The board also created specific strategies for how NAVTA might attain success in each of these areas, as outlined below.<\/span><\/p>\n

Key Area #1: <\/b><\/span>Enhance NAVTA\u2019s Role as a Strategic Advocate for Veterinary Nurses\/Technicians <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Realizing and recognizing NAVTA\u2019s unique position and strength as the largest organized body of veterinary nurses\/technicians and, therefore, the loudest voice for the profession, the board agreed that NAVTA must leverage these assets to speak for and promote the profession. Some strategies for how NAVTA might be successful in doing this are:<\/span><\/p>\n