February 2020: New Beginnings, New Missions

Two weeks ago, we celebrated Lunar New Year, the year of the Rat which is the first animal in the zodiac sign. The Rat is considered intelligent, a quick thinker and is the representation of a new beginning. Channeling this zodiac animal, how have you planned your new beginnings? Is your organization turning a new leaf in 2020 as you strive to build a sustainable workforce? Or do you already have a working plan that needs stabilization?

Whatever your situation, always start with and return to your vision and mission because they guide your goals and objectives. In 2013, I spent several months contemplating on the direction of our organization’s Nurse Practitioner Residency Program. After much introflection and careful planning, I decided that the program needed a mission statement, one that would align with the organizational vision. Most mission statements share 3 similar components: who it is for, what it provides, and how it stands out amongst competitors.

1-      The Who: So you have a vision to create an academic program that can be a pipeline for clinical workforce. But who exactly is your program serving? To answer this question, you must return to your vision. Who are the end recipients of your laborious efforts? In healthcare, the answer should always be “the patients”. So who are your patient populations? The second part of this “Who” is the vehicle through which high quality healthcare will be delivered to patients. This vehicle would be the clinicians you train and educate through your program. What are the ideal characteristics of these clinicians?

2-      The What: What is your program delivering and what is its purpose? In a mission statement, the What must be big picture. Stay away from extraneous details which may detract from the core message.

3-      The How: How will your program deliver a product that stands out amongst your competitors? What is uniquely you? Perhaps your program focuses on a specialized area of healthcare that others do not have. Or perhaps your organization serves a distinct patient population that requires special knowledge. Whatever makes you stand out in a way to attract the right audience, highlight it.

Here is an example of a mission statement from International Community Health Services’ Nurse Practitioner Residency Program, which hits each of these main components:

The program’s mission is to educate and retain well-rounded, highly autonomous, effective and culturally competent Family Nurse Practitioners, who will serve as primary care providers in Community Health settings

Who: The end recipients are patients in Community Health settings who are federally recognized as underserved populations. Family Nurse Practitioners are the vehicles

What: education and retention of Family Nurse Practitioners

How it stands out: the product is a well-rounded, highly autonomous, effective and culturally competent clinician who will provide care for underserved patients.   

A few years ago, I interviewed a novice NP who was in his last month of school for a residency position. His life mission was to serve those most vulnerable in society. He spent a couple years working with rural villages in Asia, studying the nutritional content of rice and techniques to effectively fortify rice for better health outcomes. He chose our program because the mission spoke to his heart.

So, in planning your new beginnings, have you determined your true north, a mission that captures the essence of who you are, what you provide, and highlights your unique features? May 2020 bring you clarity, happiness, and a renewed purposeful beginning.