How do you plan your goals?.

Throughout my career for 26years as RN/Charge nurse/Adjunct professor.I am involved in helping so many patients and their families achieve their goals during hospitalization. It was never easy to achieve successful goals without focusing ,measuring and having a targeted date.I have helped countless patients successfully faced challenges and overcome these obstacles. When planning your goals it should have the following criteria.

A.Data collection. That is information must be collected.

B.The goals must be obtainable with targeted dates. Short or long term goals.

C.Time Frame. Timing is very important and goals must have a time frame.

D.Are goals observable and measureable?.

E.Evaluation of the goals. Did I achieve the goals with the patient.

F.What are the factors that will lead to success or failure of the goals.

For example the doctor orders for the hip surgery patient to lose weight. Target weight is 270lbs by 08/25/2023.Patient will demonstrate weight loss of four pounds (4lbs) per month until the target weight of 270lbs is achieved.

Data collection shows that patient weighs 308lbs on 07/25/2023.

Diet changed ,patient is placed on 1800 Ada diet. Compliance to the plan of care is very important.

The patient walks ( ambulates)the hospital hallway and back to her room twice in a shift.( Two times in a shift)

Patient goals achievement is evaluated early .When the patient achieve goals of losing inches. To motivate her to do more I invited other nurses to come clap and celebrate with my patient for losing inches. That encourages and energizes her to do more walking and watching her intake even when I was off. She shared the good news with a smile on her face when I returned.

If a patient did not meet the targeted goals the plan will be modified to redress the failure. You must not wait until the day of discharge before evaluating the goals achievement. Do it early so that adjustments can be made if not successful.

Factors that can influence the inability to achieve those goals can be different variables both positive and negative. Identify the variables and reinforce positive behaviors that can help to achieve the goals.

For example if patient wants to walk when her husband is around let her do so as long as she ambulates as ordered. If evaluation is done and it shows that the patient made little or no progress towards achieving the targeted goals. That is if evidence suggests that there is a problem with the plan of care, then each steps of the plan need to be reevaluated for accuracy and possible new data collected to make it right.

Another example is that a young inexperience mother who gave birth to her first baby (daughter) on the 08/16/2023 should be able to do the following by 08/18/2023.

1.Able to hold her newborn baby well.

2.Feed her baby 🤱

3.Bath her baby.

4.Change baby dress including her diapers.

If mother is unable to reach those psychomotor objectives. More time should be spent with the new mother and baby to reinforce behavior for a positive outcome.

My true story.

This story happened long long time ago. There was this young girl 5feet 8inches tall and well behave. ( never had a boyfriend, does not smile or talk to anyone except God and her parents) She planned to get married by the age of 25years. She goes to church every Sunday and twice everyday .She held her Bible very tightly to her chest and did not look at any man’s face. She did not greet any man afraid that they will deceive her.

She believed that God will send her a good man.By 27years no husband, at 28years an elementary school teacher came to seek her hand in marriage, she refused because teacher’s salary will not be enough for them.

To cut the story short at 35years no husband. She continues to go to church. At 40years she became overwhelmed with anger and frustration so she went to the same Catholic church again and said God why are you so wicked and heartless. I came here twice every day and you couldn’t give me a good husband. Almost all the girls in my village have got married except me.She started to destroy the pictures of Jesus christ, Virgin Mary mother of Christ.When someone caught her she ran out and started crying helplessly without saying a word. She was not arrested by the police because everyone understood her frustration.

Today she has no husband, no children, poor and developed mental disorder. She had a goal of marriage at 25years but she was going in the wrong direction and never stopped to think and modify her ineffective plans to achieve her goals of getting married. Heaven helps those who help themselves. She did not have strong motivation to make changes to her plans for a positive outcome.

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