Strategic Plan and Initiatives

ICNR Committees and Task Forces 2008 Committee and Task Force Activities to Achieve the Strategic Plan The ICNR has four standing committees to assess problems and plan and implement initiatives to alleviate those problems. Task Forces are formed by the Board to assist committees or to address specific issues or initiatives as needed. There is currently one task force, the Programs Task Force. It is assisting the Perpetuity Committee as described in this plan. All members are strongly encouraged to join at least one committee or task force and be active in the Coalition’s initiatives. The Standing Committees are: Strategic Alliances Perpetuity Policy and Advocacy Image       The chairperson of each of the committees is a member of the ICNR Board of Directors.  The current task force is the Programs Task Force.

Strategic Alliances Committee

The Strategic Alliances Committee supports the ICNR mission and vision by promoting and maintaining the ICNR as a forum for nursing dialogue, information and collaboration in order to provide a unique opportunity for exploration and learning, debate and negotiation about issues that affect nursing resources for Illinois. These issues will include topics such as numbers of nurses needed, appropriate skill mix of nursing staff, recruitment and retention of nurses and ways to maintain a supportive environment in health care to create the safest patient care and the highest quality of nursing education. This committee develops communications vehicles for membership and the other committees and works to improve both internal ICNR communication and communication with the public. It serves as both the Public Relations committee and the “Website” committee. Since the website, www.ic4nr.org is an essential tool for the Coalition’s communication function, a critical goal of the Strategic Alliances Committee is to maintain a relevant, vibrant website.

2008 Strategic Alliances Committee Objectives and Key Activities

• Continuously improve the both internal and external communication for the ICNR.
• Increase awareness of ICNR membership, positions, and activities among policy makers.
• Initiate public relations activities to increase awareness of the ICNR Forum for Nursing Collaboration and Information and other Coalition activities.
• Develop strategies for improving communication throughout Illinois about the current and future needs for nursing resources.
• Plan and implement membership meetings to increase awareness and discussion of nursing initiatives and issues in Illinois.
• Collaborate with the Illinois Center for Nursing and the State Board of Nursing to provide accurate information for informed decision making and opportunity for policy progress for nursing.
• Invite the Nursing Act Coordinator to ICNR general members’ meetings to update our members about IDFPR (Center for Nursing and Board of Nursing) initiatives.
• Update and maintain a relevant, dynamic, vibrant website (www.ic4nr.org) with provision of relevant information, issues discussions and data.  Continue to develop the website as a repository for all data related to nursing resources in Illinois to increase overall participation and improve understanding of the environmental and other factors affecting nursing recruitment, retention and demand.
• Evaluate usefulness and quality of the website.
• Provide communications and PR support to committees and task forces as requested.
• Continue developing strategic relationships with key state agencies including, but not limited to, the Illinois Department of Finance and Professional Regulation and the Illinois Department of Public Health and seek new partners for the Coalition.

The Perpetuity Committee supports the work of the Coalition by providing funding for the ICNR to operate with a balanced budget and secure necessary financial resources to support the ICNR operations, annual objectives and initiatives described in the Strategic Plan. The Committee develops and initiates ways to fund the organization’s operations and its initiatives including seeking grants, donations, sponsors, and holding fund-raising events. The Programs Task Force is a task force to support the efforts of the Perpetuity Committee.

• Increase membership by 20%. Actively recruit new ICNR members among hospitals, long term care, home health agencies and ambulatory care facilities, health care systems, schools of nursing, nursing associations, provider groups and trade associations,  individuals and other significant interested parties.  Recruit healthcare and nursing leaders and others to ICNR in order to strengthen the opportunity the ICNR offers for dialogue and collaboration. Analyze recruitment efforts and make recommendations for increasing ICNR membership.
• Measurably improve membership engagement in the organization. Utilize web site and other online technology to engage members as active participants.  Promote committee participation with all members to advance the work of ICNR.  Provide recognition to ICNR members and member institutions, and member associations as contributing to the collaborative effort.
• Seek and obtain alternative non-dues revenue sources needed to support the organization’s goals.  Seek grants as appropriate.  Develop and initiate fund-raising activities.
• Analyze dues structure and make recommendations for dues as funding source.
• Assist the Programs Task Force to meet its’ goals and objectives.
• Provide at least $9000.00 in non-dues revenue for support of Coalition initiatives.

The Programs Task Force is charged with developing and presenting educational programs to meet the educational needs expressed by the members and supports the Perpetuity Committee’s efforts to increase non-dues revenue for ICNR.

2008 Programs Task Force Objectives and Key Activities

• Provide relevant continuing education opportunities for the Coalition members.
• Develop at least two education programs based on member needs and revenue producing promise.
• Develop alternative methods of providing educational programs. Market programs to support the Perpetuity Committee’s non-dues related revenue goal.
• Assist the Perpetuity Committee with other non-dues revenue activities as needed.

Policy and Advocacy Committee
The Policy and Advocacy Committee’s goal is to guide the ICNR in development and support of state healthcare policies that will ensure Illinois has the nursing resources it needs now and in the future. This Committee monitors legislation and advocates for policies congruent with the mission and vision of the ICNR. In 2008, the role of the Policy and Advocacy Committee will include participating with the IDFPR and Board of Nursing in developing the Rules for the Illinois Nurse Practice Act of 2007 and informing and soliciting input from the membership on this process and other policy issues pertinent to the goals and objectives of ICNR.

2008 Policy and Advocacy Committee Objectives and Key Activities

• Identify and communicate key policy issues to the membership.  Provide unique opportunity for dialogue and debate among those with differing opinions and viewpoints. Make recommendations to the Board of Directors and ICNR membership on legislation and other policy issues based on an analysis of their impact on nursing resources.          
• Develop position statements agreed to by ICNR membership in response to pertinent policy statements and legislative initiatives from other groups. 
• Collaborate with the Illinois Center for Nursing and the State Board of Nursing to provide accurate information for informed decision making and opportunity for policy progress for nursing. Advocate for the completion of a comprehensive survey of Illinois Registered Professional, Advanced Practice, and Licensed Practical Nurses to be conducted by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation through the State Board of Nursing and the Center for Nursing.  This survey should be conducted every two years in order to maintain an accurate data base about nurses in Illinois. Current accurate data is necessary to make informed policy            decisions about nursing resources needed to meet Illinois’ healthcare needs.
• Assess regulatory proposals that will affect the nursing education system, especially the system capacity to meet the demand for nursing resources and advocate for those proposals that will increase capacity and maintain quality.
• Identify issues of concern with the rules and regulations for administering the Illinois Nursing and Advanced Practice Act and communicate them to the Board of Nursing. Develop position statements in support of improved licensing and approval processes for Illinois nurses.
• Continue to support and advocate for legislation amenable to the interest of ICNR membership that will allow Illinois to join the Interstate Compact.

Image Committee

The Image Committee is working on image improvement and recruitment efforts to attract more people to nursing and is developing ways to increase both gender and ethnic diversity in the nursing work force. The Committee is also emphasizing the importance of nursing educators and efforts to attract more nurses to nurse faculty positions.  Additionally the Image Committee is responsible for assessing and communicating successful retention efforts and is creating a clearinghouse of information on practices in nurse retention and utilization of scarce resources.

2008 Image Committee Objectives and Key Activities

• Continue image and recruitment efforts to increase nursing school enrollments and to increase nursing school faculty. 
• Work to attract more nurses to faculty positions in order to increase the capacity of the educational system. Promote nursing education career tracks to facilitate faculty recruitment.
• Develop and disseminate information about nursing education and the myriad of nursing careers. Develop dynamic vehicles for creating interest in the work of nurses. Provide accurate information about nursing education and careers to all key stakeholders, policy makers, recruiters, guidance counselors, and potential nurses via the ICNR web site. Develop a careers section for the website for potential nurses and the public. Provide information about multiple career opportunities for and various roles of nurses.
• Monitor the media regarding nursing image and alert members of potential issues.
• Promote sound retention practices in order to keep our valuable nursing resources.  Promote improvements in the multiple work environments for nurses and publicize these improvements in order to attract and retain nurses.
• Develop activities to increase both gender and ethnic diversity in the nursing workforce.
• Educate the public and health care industry about the various roles nurses play in health care promotion.
• Continue to develop a retention section for the Forum for Nursing Collaboration and Information including the development of a data repository of information on successful practices in nurse retention and utilization of scarce resources for both nursing education and practice.  Continue the publication of a quarterly electronic newsletter that meets the goal of providing a clearinghouse of information on successful practices in nurse retention and utilization of scarce resources.