Goal Setting in Nursing: How to Reach Success

by | Dec 28, 2015 | 2 comments

With the New Year closing in, this is a perfect time for all nurses to review their professional plans. Sure, we go through an annual evaluation as an employee of our organization. And it’s an even better idea to do this on a regular basis for your own nursing career success.

Nursing Career Goals: 3 Tips to Achieving Success!Why is that? As we touched on last week, if we don’t take the time to reflect on the big ‘why’ with respect to our chosen career path, there is a possibility we fall out of love with the nursing profession. So, short and sweet, this week we’ll focus on our nursing career goals. How to set them… what it takes to reach them… and more.

So Happy New Year to you! And I hope that you enjoy the very best year of your professional practice in the upcoming year. Let’s do this!

[Tweet “Here Are 3 Posts to Help you Set and Achieve Your Nursing Career Goals”]

  1. Get Clear. The first thing you need to do is get really clear on what you do want and what you don’t want. If you are foggy, unsure or distracted you will have a harder time reaching the things that you want. Here’s a really great podcast that teaches you how to clarify your goals and get that nursing career of your dreams. Be sure to grab paper and pencil. Listen to the entire thing and actually DO the exercises. When we take action, we see results.
  2. Get Organized. Go for Your Goals to Achieve Nursing Career Success My favorite thing to do! I simply love getting organized. It helps me think clearly. When we have a plan, we can achieve anything in life. Here is a post that shares with you seven tips for reaching your goals. While this post is an oldie (it’s from 2011… the year I started my blog… wow!), the information never goes out of style. Looking back I still do each of the seven tips. And when you start to too- you will receive success!
  3. Get Success. Perfect. Time for achieving all you want in your nursing career. This final post is from my birthday bucket-list blog. However, the point I want to re-highlight here is making your goals visible. To yourself AND to others. This makes you much more accountable. It’s like when you write something down you are much more likely to do it- same thing applies here. So check out my four step process to goal setting success. And be sure to revisit your goals and LOOK at them throughout the year. This will help you move forward and achieve all that you desire.

What do you think? Do-able? Can you achieve one of your career goals in this upcoming year? State below in the comments what goal you are going to work on and when you will achieve it by. Let’s share to hold each other accountable and enjoy the satisfaction of success!

Elizabeth Scala, MSN/MBA, RN; Founder of Nursing from WithinAbout the Author: As a keynote speaker, bestselling author and virtual conference host, Elizabeth partners with hospitals, organizations, associations, and nursing groups to help transform the field of nursing from the inside out. During the National Nurse’s Week online conference, ‘The Art of Nursing‘, Elizabeth supports nurses in achieving professional goals of continued learning and development. Click here to find out more about how The Art of Nursing appreciates and celebrates our profession in a meaningful way.

2 Comments

  1. cdreyerlivecozaCarin Dreyer

    Thank you Elizabeth for the motivation. My goal for this year is to finish my Nursing Management studies and start as soon as possible with studies in Nursing Education. I also want to see a change in attitude among the nurses. We are currently running a program in the hospital to enforce dress code that excludes the wearing of jewellery and artificial nails, as we know it for ages. It seems to be a major problem among the younger nurses who said that it is a cultural believe to show off their husbands care and love for them. Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      Hi Carin,
      Thanks for coming by and reading the post. I appreciate you sharing your goal with us. Sounds wonderful! A new degree with a change in attitude, yes! As for your question… well, I actually will be posting next month about something similar. But to give a brief answer now, when any change occurs… if the nurse feels powerless and lacks control of the situation… they will push back. No one wants to be told ‘what’ to do. So, maybe if you can give the reasons behind the policy. The reasons that they are unable to wear these things and how it impacts their patients, they may be more open to the policy. That and offering creative ways for them to be able to express themselves. Maybe by taking photos of the jewelry and fancy nails being worn and then hanging those photos up in the break room. We have to allow our staff to be themselves, while also accepting that there are policies in place and the policies are there for a reason. I hope this helps. Happy New Year!

      Reply

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  1. New Year. New You. Setting & Reaching Nursing Goals. - […] Goal setting in the New Year. A practical set of strategies to help you think about your nursing career…

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