General Charge for APNA Councils

To be thought leaders for the American Psychiatric Nurses Association.

Councils are to serve as thought leaders for the American Psychiatric Nurses Association and work toward fulfillment of the general charge for councils within their established overall vision and goals.

• Conduct external environmental scans.
  • Suggestion: Designate a member of your Advisory Panel to set up a Google alert for a specific term and monitor it.

• Conduct internal council assessments and discussions to identify member needs within your council’s subject area(s).
  • Suggestion: Create 3-6 questions for dissemination to your Advisory Panel and send to councilsupport@apna.org for development into an online survey.

• Synthesize information: information gathered from environmental scans, from Member Bridge conversations, etc.
  • Suggestion: Create talking points which the Board can approve and then be disseminated to the membership.

• Provide accurate information to inform conversations.
  • Suggestion: Designate a couple of members to post on the All-Purpose Discussion Forum links and resources available in the public arena to inform discussions related to your Council’s subject area(s).
    Suggestion: Submit an abstract via the online submission site for a session or poster to be presented at the APNA Annual Conference.
    For larger issues involving widespread confusion: Contact the Board to suggest an all-member communication from the President to correct misinformation being posted.
• Monitor content of website to ensure that it is up-to-date and aligned with APNA’s strategic direction (core purpose, values, envisioned future).
• Recognize council members for their achievements.
  • Suggestion: For someone who has contributed to the literature through a published article, interview, etc., cross-post a link of their work (or acknowledgement of their work) to the All Purpose Discussion Forum and your Council’s Advisory Panel. Please also send a copy to our communications team for inclusion in Members’ Corner (mtrimyer@apna.org).
  • Suggestion: Post on the All Purpose Discussion Forum a congratulatory note to an APNA Award Recipient who is a part of your Council.

• Build an Enduring Structure – Identify and mentor promising new leaders.
  • Suggestion: Make sure all Steering Committee members (at least) are enrolled as a mentor or mentee (or both) in APNA’s Mentor Match program.
  • Suggestion: Post a message to your Advisory Panel encouraging use of the Mentor Match tool and informing them of your availability to form a mentoring relationship.
  • Suggestion: Succession planning – Create a 3-5 year plan that will continue beyond the current chair.