2020 Goals of a 3rd-year nurse
Well, folks, I’m jumping on the 2020 Goals Bandwagon. I’ve heard a few people say that a person’s goals and dreams should be private. As they say, “Don’t run your mouth, run your bidness.” While I definitely have private goals, I also think that there are benefits to sharing some of them with the world at large. That means you.
I have two primary objectives with sharing my goals publicly. First, I’ve found a lot of inspiration from listening to others talk about their goals and their plans for achieving them. Many of my best productivity skills came from cruising “My 2019 Goals” YouTube vids around this time last year. I hope at least a few of you benefit the same way after reading my goals list.
Second, sometimes opportunities arise when the right people see your content. I’ve gotten collab offers and cool opportunities because someone on social media saw that I was interested in a thing they are/have/do and they reached out. Why not broadcast your dreams to people who may also be working towards those dreams? The coolest shit can happen by chance.
I’m about halfway into my third year as an acute care inpatient nurse in a level one trauma center. The first two years were like a demolition derby with no seat belt. In this third year, I’ve regained control of the car. Since I’ve not done a goals review since the start of my second year I thought I’d get to that now.
I’m going to list out my goals and tell you if they are ACHIEVED, IN PROGRESS or JUNKED.
You can find the original post here.
1. Manage stress and anxiety with the resources provided to me. aka debriefing with a counselor on a regular basis. Life and death, kids. It's heavy shit. - ACHIEVED and IN PROGRESS
-While this is a process that will continue for the rest of my life, I’ve found some things to help with my involuntary, overeager panic disorder. No, I’ve not seen a counselor, but I’m not opposed to it. Right now it’s not a problem because of how I manage my schedule and my outlets for de-stressing. I journal, podcast, deep breathe, meditate, stretch, and practice other mindfulness techniques as I learn them. I also have found a sweet spot for the number of shifts I work in a row and how I nourish my body.
2. Get my PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse) in the next 12 months. -DITCHED
This is something I don’t presently give a shit about. I have other goals that I want to focus on instead. I reserve the right to change my mind at any time.
3. Lose 50lbs. -IN PROGRESS
Who am I kidding? I haven’t worked on this much. I have started tracking and increasing my water intake and eating out less. I refuse to let my lack of progress be a discouragement. Next goal, schedule treadmill days at the fancy rec center I pay for.
4. Get nicer scrubs...the yoga ones seem nice. -ACHIEVED
Gurrrrl, I love my scrubs. I have tried several different scrub lines and I have grown to have some very strong preferences in materials and pockets. I’ll do a longer post about scrubs. I don’t buy the super high-end designer scrubs, but I have found some quality, comfortable, compliment-receiving scrubs for great prices.
5. Find the perfect lunch combos. -ACHIEVED and IN PROGRESS
I was struggling to bring things that were tasty, uncomplicated, and wouldn’t leave me with food babies at the nurses’ station. Well, thanks to some of my favorite Pinterest boards and YouTube influencers I’ve mostly nailed this for myself. The perks of packing well for my tastes and work pace have been so profound that I don’t want to really go lax on this one. I’ll make a post about this too.
6. Be healthy and keep good attendance. -IN PROGRESS forever
Migraines fucking suck. Some nights I’m doubled over the porcelain throne praying my eyes don’t explode and that can make going to work completely impossible. I have worked to keep my triggers to a minimum, but they still sneak up on me sometimes. In 2019, I saw the ENT who did my sinus surgery 15 years ago, an ophthalmologist, massage therapist, my primary physician - with more exploration to be done with a chiropractor, my gynecologist, and lastly, (dramatic music) neurology. Let 2020 be the year I put this monster to rest.
7. Get to know my co-workers better. - ACHIEVED and IN PROGRESS
I get tunnel vision at work. If I’m not busting ass for my patients, I’m planning ahead so that my perfectly planned shift doesn’t go to shit when an event inevitably tries to derail my time management. Sometimes it’s easier to just chat with people I already know. It’s easier. They know my humor, how I work, and I can trust them. But I’ve been letting my guard down to newbs and I’ve actually gained some pretty rad friendships both on and off the clock as a result. Both nurses and nursing assistants have some pretty groovy people for me to work with. I always feel weird asking people about themselves, since I am (if you can believe it) fairly private and quiet IRL. But I’m learning and growing and getting more comfortable asking people about themselves without feeling like a nosey gossip.
8. Figure out my artistic contribution to my unit. -IN PROGRESS
The bulletin board I am responsible for has had a flu season presentation since the flu season began a few months ago. I’ve decided that I need to just spend an hour or two mapping out my content for the entire year - a new display each month, related to the time of year or relevant events.
I’ve also made a few instructional videos for nurses on my unit and I intend to make a few more this year. They can be found on my YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqnVvxW5DqQGJzXdV6kXyHQ
9. Build stronger interdisciplinary relationships. -ACHIEVED, always IN PROGRESS
I still suffer from night shift invisibility, but there have been a few breakthroughs this year. I helped lead my first mock code in the simulation center as well as led my unit’s nursing assistant annual competency review week, which led to some interaction with the nursing education staff. I’ve grown more confident in my interactions with physicians and other LIPs, with physicians commending my nursing actions regarding deteriorating patients. One of the doctors even shook my hand. He will never know what that did for my confidence and ultimately my advocacy for all my patients.
10. Join a committee. -WAY ACHIEVED
I JOINED 4 and am co-chair of one. How’s that for achieving a goal? Haha, I am co-chair of the Unit Based Council where I work. I run meetings with the help of my other co-chair, keep and distribute minutes and help coordinate other unit-related events.
I joined the hospital’s shared governance committee for nursing retention. That is a new commitment and I am eager to learn the system and perks of being involved.
I also am a part of the staff education committee on my unit. Rather than receive training we don’t want from management in ways that don’t help us, the staff bands together to decide on what topics the unit wants to cover and what methods for learning are most desired by staff. Then we divvy up the topics and each month someone presents a learning opportunity for the unit. We’ve had posters, scavenger hunts, videos, flyers and other educational materials distributed. And to make it all worthwhile, the staff has overwhelmingly said in surveys that their practice directly benefited from the work of this committee.
Lastly, I am a member of the brand new unit-based celebration committee. To hell with pizza parties and meaningless rewards. Let’s foster a community of recognition and support for all the amazing things nurses do every day - from getting degrees and certifications, conquering fears, hitting personal milestones, and creating meaningful change on the unit. Phew. That was a mouthful. The committee saga continues….
OK AND THEN BEFORE YOU GO...I have a couple of new goals to tack onto the ones IN PROGRESS.
ADD ON 1: Charge Nurse
My next biggest fear to conquer is training and functioning as a charge nurse on my unit. I had been dodging this day forever out of fear, anxiety, and desire to not take on additional decision-making roles at night in the absence of higher management. But dang it if people don’t keep complimenting me as a resource to other nurses and the boss finally put the gentle pressure on. She drives a hard bargain so I think this is happening for real. I hope when I do my next annual goal list I can say that I am an effective and efficient charge nurse and not that it drove me into madness and/or a career change.
ADD ON 2: Student Precepting
Take my first senior nursing student for an entire semester. I had two preceptors during my final semester of school. One made me feel like shit and I got more scared. The other empowered me and made me feel ready to enter the workforce as a real nurse. I don’t want to make the mistakes my first preceptor made with me, whether they knew they did it or not. I want to be a leader and a resource without being a “helicopter mom” that can’t relent control. But I love to teach and I love to see students go from scared novices to more confident clinicians who know how to use their resources wisely. I can’t teach them everything, but I can teach them to find almost anything. Expect some podcast episodes about this new adventure in my life.
ADD ON 3: EBP involvement
Keep my toes dipped in the Evidence-based Practice and Quality Improvement world. As a member of the education committee, I want to continue to influence and collaborate on QI on my unit, and then help apply it to other units in my institution. OK! If you’ve made it this far, I thank you. I hope my goals can trigger some of yours! Never be ashamed if you don’t reach a goal by the time you intended. When you fall off the skateboard, you gotta get the fuck up and get back on. Even if you have to do it 800 more times. Just tell yourself, I’ll keep this habit, just for today. Then renew that vow daily.
I’d love to hear about your goals in the comments. Do we share any? Do I have any on my list that you’ve achieved? I want to hear about it.
Cheers!
-Adrianne
