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V&VN: Our healthcare system hinges on good nursing

With 105,000 members, V&VN is the largest professional association in the Netherlands. V&VN is there for nurses, carers and nursing specialists. Boer & Croon was asked to supervise two projects aimed at strengthening its foundation. Maartje van Wijk, Young Executive at Boer and Croon, spoke with Femke Teeling, director of V&VN, about these inspiring assignments and the importance of future-proof nursing care.
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In V&VN's vision, this is the century of nursing. Can you explain that?

"Nursing is the profession of nurses, carers IG and nurse specialists. Nursing practitioners promote health and self-direction and help cope with illness and vulnerabilities. They do this through a meaningful relationship with the user. They see the whole person and have the expertise to improve functioning and quality of life.

With an increasing ageing population and the associated scarcity, the importance of nursing has become increasingly evident. Without it, it is impossible to address the issues of ageing and scarcity.

Moreover, nurses, carers, and nursing specialists are not exclusively focused on treating diseases but take a broad approach aimed at improving patients' quality of life. The conversation about quality of life and dying is becoming increasingly important, with patients often being the first to broach this topic. This gives patients space to reflect on their wishes and care needs, which highlights the crucial role of nursing in today's society.

Finally, defining the 21st century as the century of nursing is also a form of recognition and emancipation of the profession. The profession is an integral part of healthcare, and positioning it this way reinforces the status and ownership of nurses, carers, and nursing specialists.

Recognising the 21st century as the century of nursing is about realising that nurses, carers and specialists have an essential role in society. It is vital that they seize their position and fully embrace and actively promote their contribution to healthcare."


Besides scarcity and ageing, what are other significant nursing developments and challenges?

‘Scarcity is one of the biggest challenges within the healthcare sector regarding staff and resources. We are facing rising costs and decreasing availability of specific resources. To address this problem, it is essential to make healthcare more sustainable through reusable resources.

A significant development is the further professionalisation and development of the nursing profession. V&VN contributes to this by setting up a Knowledge Institute, which will promote evidence-based work in the profession.

In addition, the century of nursing is about taking a solid position. The profession tends to be modest, whereas it should be proud and propagate this. Nurses, carers and specialists must recognise and propagate their role and contribution to the healthcare sector. ‘This is our century’ is also a pride about who we are and what we stand for.’


What does V&VN notice about these developments, and what role does V&VN play for the professions?

"On two levels, V&VN plays an essential role in addressing the challenges within nursing.... First, in advocacy, V&VN ensures that the position and competencies of the three professional groups are correctly represented and appreciated in the social field. This includes promoting a positive image and conducting dialogues with various stakeholders in the healthcare sector.

Secondly, V&VN focuses on the professional development of its members by stimulating research, offering training and networking opportunities and making relevant information accessible to all nurses, carers and nursing specialists through the Knowledge Institute, among others."


What was the reason for engaging Boer & Croon?

"Boer & Croon was engaged at the time to support two different projects. The first project involved writing a master plan for setting up a V&VN Knowledge Institute (which was officially opened on 14 March this year), and the second project involved drawing up the mission, vision, and multi-year strategy for 2024 - 2028.

Both processes required external support. For the first project, the person needed to be skilled in converting input from members and staff into concrete plans. You managed to bundle all input (supplemented with an outside-in perspective) and present it in a manageable way.

In the strategy process, on the other hand, there was much more emphasis on guiding and integrating the strategy process in the organisation. You played an important role in developing the strategy, involving the employees and guiding the process of arriving at a multi-year plan."


What do you think has been the added value of Boer & Croon in both projects?

"Boer & Croon added value in several ways. Firstly, providing a fresh external perspective meant things were approached differently than usual. In addition, their external capacity provided space to focus on the strategy process without distractions from daily tasks. Also, guidance is offered to Young Executives (like you), so Boer & Croon acted as an extra sounding board. Finally, specific skills such as project management and effective visualisation of information were brought in, which was seen internally as refreshing and inspiring."