SMART Goals for Nursing: How to Set Smart Goals for Nursing

SMART Goals for Nursing: How to Set Smart Goals for Nursing
SMART Goals for Nursing

Setting goals is an important subject in your nursing career. Smart goals for nursing motivate you to enhance your nursing skills and give you clarity; They also enable you to focus on the right direction in advancing your career. When you set clear goals in a SMART way, the aim is specific in setting you up for success and personal achievements.

Why is it Important to Set Goals in Nursing?

As a nurse, setting goals is critical to encouraging success and accomplishing your targets. Why do we set goals?

  • They help you to focus and provide a sense of purpose for your activities. You get a clear direction to concentrate on all efforts.
  • You are able to know your accomplishments and the duration they have taken. They also help to confirm your expectations.
  • Difficult and overwhelming tasks are easily achieved.
  • Clear goals will help you move forward and keep you accountable for the results.
  • Goals give feedback and inform you on areas that need improvement.

 How to Choose SMART Goals in Nursing

The SMART goal setting method is a guide that describes the five attributes which complete a clearly set goal. They are:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Attainable
  • Realistic
  • Timely

Specific

At times setting broad nursing goals does not allow easy interpretation. Being specific means keeping them focused and detailed. Here, you create a plan, ask a few questions about the goal and give detailed answers. What is the main reason for you to accomplish the goal? What do you require for the goals to be successful? Where are you in your career as at now, and where do you want to be? 

Measurable

You need to measure your progress for your goals to be effective. Choose a measurement guide that has clear milestones to enable you to detect improvement or any changes you can make. Set specific goals, then checkmark the list by using calendars and a marker after the completion of each. 

Attainable

Nursing goals should not be beyond your reach. You can challenge yourself but make sure you have the resources you need to achieve your goal. Ask yourself whether the goal has been accomplished before. If so, then it will be manageable for you too. Depending on the situation, it might take a long time or be more challenging, but you know it can be done. Believe that the goal is real and work to attain it.

Realistic

When setting nursing goals, do not go beyond what your ability and skillset will allow. A realistic goal will go in line with your current priorities and fits naturally within your career plans. If you feel your goal is challenging, you can break it up into smaller objectives that will help you make achieve better results.

Timely

Creating a deadline for each goal will give you a clear picture of your progress. Deadlines also motivate and help you gauge whether you are on the right path or your efforts need to be adjusted. 

Examples of SMART goals for nursing: Patient-centered

SMART goals define a framework for development and progress in achieving your nursing goals. Some examples are Patient Care, Safety, Accuracy, Efficiency, and Professional Development.

Patient care

I want to provide the best care for my patients.

SMART goal; 

I will create a list of daily tasks to perform based on the patient’s condition. I will perform 30-minute rounds to ensure the patient has all his needs taken care of. I will achieve my goal when I have completed all to-do tasks at the end of the shift.

Safety

I want to ensure that my patients are safe under my care

SMART goal; 

When giving reports, I will make sure the alarm is set and at an angle that the patient can easily access in case of an event that will compromise the safety of my patient. My goal will be achieved when my shift ends without any safety issues.

Accuracy

I want to document information about the patient accurately.

SMART goal;

I will note down all the information about my patient, including the illness history, and present it to the physician during the ward round. My goal will be achieved after the ward round when the physician has a clear view of the patient’s history.

Efficiency

I want to provide efficient services to my patient.

SMART goal;

I’ll make sure to complete all critical tasks. If I feel overwhelmed, I will ask for help or delegate.

I will achieve my goal when I have completed all critical tasks at the end of the shift.

Professional development

I want to advance my knowledge and skills in my nursing career.

SMART goal;

I’ll attend part-time classes and nursing conferences for the coming two years. My goal will be achieved after I complete my MSNwithin the two years.

Examples of SMART Goals for Nursing Students

Case scenario

Being a 4th-year nursing student, the final licensing exams are coming up. The NCLEX exams will be a kickstart for my nursing career. I need to pass these exams despite the papers being tough.

Basic goal

I want to pass The final NCLEX examination.

SMART goal

I will read two chapters daily and note down important points to refer to. For every time take to study, I will have a few breaks to help me concentrate. I will rest sufficiently and sleep for 8 hours before the examination.

Examples of SMART Goals for Nurse Practitioners

Case scenario

I am a nurse practitioner, and the salary I get paid is less than the cost of my expenses. My solution is to work hard to get promoted to another facility for a high nursing rank and get an increased salary.

Basic goal

I want to do part-time classes, advance in my master’s, and get promoted to a higher position for a high salary.

SMART goal

I will spare 3 hours daily to study for my master’s and advance my knowledge and skills in nursing. With a master’s degree, the chances of getting a promotion will increase. I will do my job with professional experience and provide good patient experience, and the potential will enable me to get promoted and earn good pay. 

Nurses can also set different types of goals to achieve positive outcomes. Some of the common types of goals are: 
  • Performance goals

These are goals set to achieve desired outcomes within a selected specific duration. 

  • Process goals

These goals only focus on how the work is performed and not the results that have been accomplished.

  • Results goals

The goals do not specify how the work will be done but what will be accomplished.

  • Development goals

The goals focus on your personal and professional growth as a nurse.

  •  Practice area improvement goals

These goals target some specific areas which need a few changes or some improvement in nursing practice. 

  • Organizational goals:

These include all the desired organizational objectives that relate to career development, the satisfaction of patients, and required regulations. 

  • Team goals

These are goals that require the collaboration of nurses as a team to perform some tasks. 

  • Personal life-balance goals

The goals are based on your changes in lifestyle. This includes your hobbies, time spent with family members, health, career goals, and spiritual life.

SMART goals for Nurse Practitioner Students Examples

Case scenario

I am a nurse practitioner student in my second year, and my performance in exams is poor. I have low grades despite studying hard for the exams.

Basic goal

I want to learn more about different study methods my classmates are using.

SMART goal

I will liaise with my classmates, learn their study methods and ask them to help me prepare for exams and grading assignments. A month before the exams, I will request a few of my classmates to join me in a group study and help in preparing for the examinations.

Examples of SMART Goals for Nurse Managers

Case scenario

I am the nursing department manager in our facility. My job involves assigning tasks and handling all nurses. I have noticed that the nurses do not relate with each other well, do not work as a team, and have an unhealthy work environment.

Basic goal

I want to help the nurses sort out any differences and work as a team.

SMART goal

I will schedule staff meetings – specific for nurses – twice every month to make the work environment healthy. Their aim will be to discuss any relevant issues, find out the cause, and come up with healthy solutions. I will let equality prevail despite the gender or age, ensure boundaries are set, and both have respect for each other.

SMART Goals for Nursing Care Plans Examples

Case scenario

I attended a workshop and learned that empathy and compassion are vital in good patient care, enabling the patient to adhere and respond well to medications.

Basic goal

I want to handle my patients with empathy and compassion.

SMART goal

I will spend extra time with my patients (20 minutes) and make them feel at home. I will ask about their hobbies and interests and make them comfortable in the hospital environment. I will put myself in their shoes and feel their situation to help the feeling that they have someone who knows how it is if they were in their position. I will communicate with them in a friendly manner, with respect, and set boundaries.

More tips for creating SMART Goals for Nursing.

We have 5 components for setting SMART goals. Apart from these, you need to visualize your goals by using a model that represents an idea of already achieved goals. This will be a motivation and will present a successful feeling after achieving your specific goals. If you have any doubts about achieving your goals, release them. The negative thoughts will corrode your mind with non-ideal information. Keep on saying what you want to achieve, and it will give you a positive mentality that it will happen. For each of your desired goals, take consistent action towards what you want to achieve. Perform one task at a time to avoid being overwhelmed.

References

Bermudez, O. I., & Tucker, K. L. (2004). Cultural aspects of food choices in various communities of elders. Generations, 28(3), 22-27.

British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals. (2014). Registered Psychiatric Nurse Entry-Level Competencies. Retrieved from: https://www.bccnp.ca/becoming_a_nurse/Documents/RPN_entry_level_competencies.pdf

Chand, N. K., Subramanya, H. B., & Rao, G. V. (2014). Management of patients who refuse blood transfusion. Indian journal of anesthesia, 58(5), 658-64.

Potter, P. A., & Perry, A. G. (2014). Canadian Fundamentals of Nursing (J. C. Kerr & M. J. Wood, Eds.). Toronto: Mosby Elsevier.

Touhy, T., Jegg, K., Boscart, V., McCleary, L. (2012). Ebersole and Hess’ Gerontological Nursing & Healthy Aging. (1st Canadian Edition). Toronto, ON: Elsevier