title: Developing a strategic plan for a neonatal nurse practitioner service.
abstract: Neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs) have been in practice for over 3 decades. More recently, NNPs have begun to take ownership for building their group practice models. The purpose of this article is to present a detailed case study demonstrating how one NNP group used a 4-phase strategic planning process to turn a crisis into an opportunity. The article describes data obtained during the strategic planning process from an informal national survey of NNP managers that focused on key benchmarks, such as role definition, responsibilities, protected nonclinical time, NNP salary and benefits, and educational and professional development support. Using the strategic planning process, the group defined mutually agreed upon minimum safe staffing levels for NNPs, interns, residents and neonatologists in their setting. Based on the data generated, the group successfully justified additional NNP positions and organizational support for 10% protected nonclinical time. A sample operational budget, comparison of 3 staffing scenarios, and a timeline are also provided.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Ark, USA. leelauriea@uams.edu
authors.forename: Laurie A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Luann R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D007587:Job Description; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D016294:Models, Nursing; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010934:Planning Techniques; D016730:Program Development / Q000592:standards*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D014481:United States