ANNA long-range planning: historical overview.

Abstract

Long-range planning is essential to organizational survival but developing a plan is only the beginning. Developing yearly action plans to meet objectives and revising plans as necessary are ongoing responsibilities of the governing board, national committees, and staff. ANNA has been extremely successful with planning efforts throughout its history, primarily because it was responsive to its members. The association was not always on track, but it was never far away. Approaches to planning have become more sophisticated over the last 10 years, but earlier planning efforts were just as effective. We can gain reaffirmation of important organizational concepts from historical review. These are: (a) the life blood of the association is its members; (b) ideas for needed services are only valid if they represent the stated interests of the practitioner; (c) associations that offer unwanted services are doomed to fail; and (d) the continuing input from all members is essential to continued growth. As you read through the following articles on planning, keep in mind those goals established by our founding members, appreciate how insightful, progressive, and accurate they were even if their goals were not always understood, appreciated, or universally accepted at the time. Current long range plans and today's concepts for the future may be received in a similar fashion with great interest and enthusiasm by some and with increduality or total confusion by others. The goals deserve discussion and feedback--it is the member's right and responsibility to do so and it is critical to the future of ANNA. Nephrology nurses are as unique today as they were in the early 1960s. Through our professional home, ANNA, we have the power to achieve more for our specialty nursing practice than ever before, and, to share our work with sister organizations throughout the world. All it takes is planning.