2022 – 2025 OADN Strategic Direction: Shaping the Future of Associate Degree Nursing Education Together

Dear OADN Members:

I hope you are enjoying a lovely spring.  We are having a late start this year in Michigan but the spring flowers are starting to bloom ushering in a new season filled with opportunities.  OADN is looking forward to a future of opportunities as well, which is evident in the OADN 2022-2025 Strategic Direction.  We are focused on supporting our greatest asset, our members.

I am excited to share with you our 2022-2025 Strategic Direction for OADN.  Most people think of strategic planning as boring long days but our sessions were interactive, productive, thought-provoking, and fun.  The Board of Directors and operations team left the sessions in February with renewed energy and an excellent draft of our strategic direction.  This plan will build upon our existing resources, programs, and member-focused benefits while helping to strengthen our collective voice and impact on associate degree nursing education.  The plan includes the following three (3) Strategic Priorities.

Priority 1: ADVOCACY

OADN is the leading advocate for Associate Degree Nursing Education

Under this priority, we plan to fortify our advocacy efforts.  In addition to helping us protect our shared interests and values, this plan will also ensure the associate degree pathway is preserved and promoted as an essential entry point into the nursing profession. Our future advocacy and outreach energies will focus on greater member presence and volunteer engagement to help strengthen our impact on this critically important pathway into the nursing profession.

PRIORITY 2: EDUCATION

OADN is the expert resource for Associate Degree Nursing Education and ADN Educators

The development of a high-impact, data-driven research agenda is imperative. We must identify essential data points currently missing from literature and resources to fill those gaps and advance ADN education and policy on a larger platform. Our goal is to develop a clearinghouse of ADN resources that will contain up-to-date, relevant data and best practices that are easily accessible to our members. In addition, OADN will work to build a bureau of subject matter experts who can provide direct consultation and guidance to OADN members as needed.

PRIORITY 3: LEADERSHIP

OADN is the choice for Associate Degree Nursing Leadership and Faculty Development

You shared your stories of stress and frustration dealing with constant leadership turnover and faculty shortages within your school programs, and we listened. OADN has worked diligently to develop professional development resources and educational offerings over the years to address your concerns. Future leadership offerings will be designed to meet your unique needs while offering significant continuing education credits. We believe the newly launched OADN Leadership Institute will be recognized as the gold standard for ADN leadership and faculty development, and we envision the OADN Leadership Institute Certificate will be a highly regarded, in-demand designation that is an exclusive benefit for OADN members.

The OADN Mission, Vision, and Values continue to be an important part of this new strategic direction.  These are woven within our priorities and will continue to be a focus as we move forward with the implementation phase of our plan.  I will also be calling upon you to share your time, talents, perspectives, and expertise to help strengthen our collective voice and impact on the associate degree pathway. There will be many ways to get involved in this significant undertaking to operationalize the 2022 – 2025 OADN Strategic Direction, so please consider joining me and our OADN community to help shape the future of Associate Degree Nursing together.

As always, feel free to contact me at laura.schmidt@oadn.org with suggestions or questions. We know we have a lot of work to do over the next three years but I am confident that with your help and feedback, we will be successful and keep OADN STRONG.

With sincere gratitude for all you do for your students and OADN,

 

 

Laura Schmidt, DNP, FNP-BC
President, OADN