NWANA Nordic Walking Groups

Healthcare Nordic Walking Group License

Purpose of the License

The Healthcare Nordic Walking Group License is an NWANA group license intended for the creation and gradual development of a Nordic Walking Group within a specific hospital, clinic, medical center, rehabilitation facility, physical therapy practice, public health organization, or another recognized healthcare organization.

The license applies to the group as a separate group within the NWANA system. It is not an individual participant license, a medical or healthcare license, a professional credential, authorization to provide treatment or rehabilitation, or an athlete competition license.

Available Group Formats

A Healthcare Nordic Walking Group may operate in two general formats.

Physical Activity and Community Group

The healthcare organization may create a Nordic Walking Group for employees, patients, caregivers, family members, volunteers, or members of the local community.

This format may include general physical activity, wellness, educational, social, and community-engagement opportunities approved by the healthcare organization.

Nordic Walking Within a Healthcare Program

A healthcare organization may incorporate Nordic Walking into a medical, therapeutic, rehabilitation, physical therapy, preventive health, or other healthcare-related program that the organization develops and supervises.

The healthcare organization retains responsibility for the design, clinical content, professional supervision, participant eligibility, and delivery of that program.

Authorization from the Healthcare Organization

A Healthcare Nordic Walking Group associated with a specific healthcare organization may be created only by that organization or with its permission.

A healthcare professional, employee, patient, caregiver, volunteer, authorized partner, or another eligible person may propose the creation of a group.

However, obtaining an Individual Healthcare License does not, by itself, authorize that person to:

represent the healthcare organization;
use its name, logo, facilities, patient information, internal communication channels, or other resources;
establish a group as an official program of the organization;
provide medical, treatment, therapeutic, rehabilitation, or healthcare services;
make commitments or collect funds on behalf of the organization.

NWANA may request confirmation that the healthcare organization has authorized the creation of the group and the use of its identity.

An independent group that has not been authorized by a healthcare organization may not use that organization’s name or present itself as a healthcare program. It may instead be created under the appropriate Community or Fitness & Wellness Nordic Walking Group License.

How a Licensed Group Is Created

The formation of a new Healthcare Nordic Walking Group may begin when at least one eligible Individual Healthcare License holder proposes the group and the selected healthcare organization authorizes its creation.

After the organization’s authorization is confirmed, NWANA creates the Healthcare Nordic Walking Group, provides it with a group license, and creates a dedicated page within the NWANA system.

The first registered participant becomes the first licensed participant associated with the new group. This person does not automatically become the group’s owner, leader, instructor, healthcare provider, program director, or official representative and is not required to organize its activities.

The healthcare organization determines who is authorized to represent it and who may perform leadership, medical, instructional, supervisory, or administrative functions within the group.

Who the Group May Serve

The healthcare organization determines the intended audience for its Healthcare Nordic Walking Group.

Depending on the approved format, the group may serve:

healthcare professionals and employees;
patients or rehabilitation program participants;
caregivers and family members;
volunteers;
participants in organization-approved wellness or community programs;
members of the local community;
other participants approved by the healthcare organization.

The group license does not independently provide access to patients, medical facilities, clinical programs, health records, internal communication systems, or other organizational resources.

What the Group License Provides

The Healthcare Nordic Walking Group License allows the authorized group to:

operate within the NWANA system as a Nordic Walking Group connected with the participating healthcare organization;
have a dedicated page for approved information, registration, news, programs, and events;
welcome eligible Individual Healthcare License holders;
introduce organization-approved Nordic Walking opportunities;
organize approved walks, educational activities, wellness initiatives, and community events;
invite appropriately qualified Nordic Walking instructors and other professionals;
use NWANA Nordic Walking education, technical standards, methods, and professional expertise;
participate in NWANA programs and events;
organize its own approved in-person and virtual events and competitions;
develop gradually toward RECOGNIZED status.

Obtaining the group license does not require the healthcare organization or group to begin any activities immediately.

Cost of the Group License

The initial Healthcare Nordic Walking Group License is provided free of charge.

Creating the group and its dedicated page is also free. During the initial stage, the group does not pay an annual NWANA fee.

The $200 annual group license fee applies only after the group voluntarily receives RECOGNIZED status.

No Initial NWANA Requirements

Obtaining and maintaining the initial group license does not require NWANA to impose:

a minimum number of participants;
the immediate appointment of a group leader;
an instructor, healthcare professional, program director, or judge;
regular walks, classes, or training sessions;
organized programs, events, or competitions;
the collection of membership fees;
an immediate application for RECOGNIZED status.

The group may begin with one interested and eligible participant and develop at a pace approved by the participating healthcare organization.

The healthcare organization may establish its own professional, clinical, safety, privacy, credentialing, and operational requirements before permitting any group activity.

Responsibility of the Healthcare Organization

The participating healthcare organization is solely responsible for the medical, clinical, therapeutic, rehabilitation, and healthcare-related aspects of its programs.

The organization determines and oversees:

the purpose and content of each healthcare-related program;
participant eligibility and medical clearance when required;
clinical assessment and medical decision-making;
professional credentials and scope of practice;
treatment, therapy, rehabilitation, and patient-care procedures;
informed consent and participant documentation;
safety, emergency, insurance, and risk-management procedures;
privacy and protection of medical and personal information;
supervision by appropriately qualified healthcare professionals;
compliance with its own policies and all applicable requirements.

The Healthcare Nordic Walking Group License does not replace professional licensing, clinical approval, medical supervision, informed consent, or any other requirement applicable to the healthcare organization or its programs.

Role of NWANA

NWANA does not diagnose medical conditions, prescribe treatment, determine medical indications or contraindications, provide patient care, or create medical, therapeutic, treatment, or rehabilitation programs through this group license.

NWANA’s role is limited to the Nordic Walking component. NWANA may provide:

Nordic Walking education;
technical standards and methods;
instruction in Nordic Walking technique;
professional development for eligible instructors;
sport and competition expertise;
assistance with integrating properly taught Nordic Walking into programs developed and supervised by the healthcare organization.

Medical and clinical decisions remain the responsibility of the healthcare organization and its appropriately qualified professionals.

Group Page and Health Information

The dedicated NWANA group page is intended for approved group information, registration, news, programs, and events. It is not a medical record or clinical information system.

Confidential medical or health information should not be collected, stored, or published through the group page unless the healthcare organization has specifically authorized an appropriate process that complies with its privacy and information-security requirements.

The healthcare organization determines what information may be published or collected in connection with its group.

Possible Areas of Development

Depending on the organization’s purpose and authorization, the group may gradually develop:

introductory Nordic Walking activities;
employee wellness and physical activity programs;
community walks and educational events;
programs for patients, caregivers, or family members developed by the healthcare organization;
Nordic Walking activities incorporated into organization-supervised healthcare or rehabilitation programs;
instruction provided by appropriately qualified Nordic Walking professionals;
professional education and collaboration;
participation in NWANA competitions and other events;
its own approved in-person and virtual competitions;
authorized volunteer, partnership, sponsorship, and fundraising initiatives.

None of these activities is required by NWANA for the group to maintain its initial license.

No medical, therapeutic, preventive, or rehabilitation outcome is guaranteed by the group license or by participation in a group activity.

Qualified Activities

The group license does not, by itself, authorize any participant to:

teach Nordic Walking technique;
provide professional instruction or coaching;
deliver medical, therapeutic, treatment, rehabilitation, or healthcare services;
make clinical decisions;
supervise patients;
serve as a judge.

A person must have the appropriate training, professional license, qualification, organizational approval, and any other required authorization to perform these activities.

The group may exist and develop before it has an instructor, healthcare professional, program director, or judge. Professional qualifications are not required for ordinary participation or authorized organizational and volunteer assistance.

All activities conducted under the healthcare organization’s name must comply with its authorization and policies.

Group Events and Competitions

A Healthcare Nordic Walking Group may organize its own in-person and virtual events and competitions as it develops and with the authorization of the participating healthcare organization.

The healthcare organization determines whether patients, rehabilitation participants, employees, caregivers, family members, or members of the public may participate and what organizational or medical requirements apply.

An event may be presented as a competition of the group or participating healthcare organization only to the extent authorized by that organization.

If the group wishes to obtain separate designation for a competition as an official NWANA competition, that designation must be arranged separately in accordance with NWANA rules.

Financial Structure

During the initial stage, payments associated with approved group programs and events and collected through the NWANA-created page are processed through NWANA.

After NWANA operating expenses, these funds may be used to support the group’s page, events, programs, and continued development.

Any fundraising, sponsorship, collection of fees, or other financial activity conducted under the healthcare organization’s name must be authorized by that organization.

If the group later receives RECOGNIZED status, it may be provided with expanded administrative capabilities and its own payment structure within the NWANA system, subject to the applicable arrangements with the participating healthcare organization.

RECOGNIZED Status

RECOGNIZED status applies to the group and its NWANA group license, not to an individual participant.

Obtaining this status is optional. The group may remain at the initial stage for as long as necessary.

Authorization or recognition by the healthcare organization and RECOGNIZED status from NWANA are separate designations. Neither designation replaces the requirements for obtaining the other.

The requirements and application process for NWANA RECOGNIZED status will be published separately at the appropriate stage of the program’s development.

After the group receives RECOGNIZED status, the annual cost of its NWANA group license is $200.

Difference from the Individual Healthcare License

The Healthcare Nordic Walking Group License applies to the authorized group and is initially provided free of charge.

The Individual Healthcare License applies to a specific person and costs $20 per year. RunSignup automatically prorates the fee based on the time remaining in the current license year.

The Individual Healthcare License is intended for healthcare professionals, employees, patients, caregivers, volunteers, authorized partners, and other eligible people interested in supporting Nordic Walking within a specific healthcare organization.

An applicant must have an appropriate connection with the selected healthcare organization or authorization to participate in proposing or supporting the initiative. A person with no connection to the organization may not register an Individual Healthcare License under its name without permission.

An Individual Healthcare License holder may join an existing authorized group or help propose the creation of a new group. The individual license does not authorize its holder to represent the healthcare organization, create a group under its name, or provide healthcare services without the required permission and qualifications.

Individual license holders may register for and participate in NWANA in-person and virtual competitions in accordance with the rules of each event. They receive a 5% discount on NWANA competition registration fees.

Neither the individual license nor the group license is an athlete competition license. If a separate athlete license is required for a particular competition, this requirement will be stated in the event rules. The athlete license can be obtained through https://license.nwaofna.org/.