Words: 1278
The most popular phrase that American people like to say every year after New Year Eve is “New Year Resolution. ” It meaner that it is time to set a goal and do it. A person’s goal for the New Year Resolution can be as simple as wanting to lose weight, get new job, get new car, go back to school, and so on. Why one needs to set goals in life. Goals are coming from each individual’s interpersonal characteristic to want things that lead to better fulfillment.
Goals can develop constantly and continuously throughout people’s daily life and their lives span. “Setting goals involves defining what you are aiming for in both long-term and short-term time frame” (Carter, Bishop, ; Gravitas, 2011, “Chapter 4, Setting and Reaching Goals: Using Values, Stress Management, and Teamwork”) Short-term goal can be a simple task for a person to get things done in hours, days, months, and long-term one can be long dream far ahead, it could take years. However, achieving them needs proportioning, commitment, self determination, and it can be stressful.
Here how I manage my reflections daily life as a floor nurse and my long-term goal to get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BBS) in two years. My personal prospective in short term to pass my humanity course next month, earn critical care credential license, support children’s educations, and own a vacation home near a stream or a river bank in the future. Like many women, I am married, a mother of two pre-teen daughters, a full- time employee, and a student to University of Phoenix so my daily life is very hectic.
During my work day as a floor nurse, I constantly think and implement my skills as a ruse with doctors, physical therapies, respiratory staffs, and others health care disciplinarians to make sure my critical patient conditions have been taking care of. Sometimes, I have to deal with the impolite attitude from patients’ family members, doctors, and other staff members. Without good proportioning skills and collaborative efforts with coworkers, I will not finish my daily tasks. To achieve these tasks, I create a list on what to do and how I will do it to succeed in my goals during the 12 hours shift and learn how to minimize my stress level.
For example, the respiratory therapy ells me that patient ventilator setting has changed. My goal is to monitor and making sure patient does not develop respiratory distress that requires frequent suctioning if a patient has so much secretion, reposition the patient in an optimal position to help with breathing pattern, and administering medication to help open airway. I constantly receive orders and monitor patients in the same time; I hardly have a chance to take a short break because I always think I will not finish my work on time.
According to Powers, Dud, Jackson, and Miller (2009), breathing exercise provides individual a relaxing body and reducing stress, especially helping to prevent some heart diseases (Chapter 16, Lifetime Fitness ; Wellness). Then I set my goal to learn how to take a quick short 10 minutes break with a good deep breathing technique when I am so overwhelmed. Last week, I did it and it really helped me degrease my stress level and focus better. Also at home I learn how to meditate when I study for four to five hours a day. This really helps to override my exhausted feeling.
Now that the country is facing recessing, every occupation requires more education, specially in nursing fields. After finishing a nursing school which was a hard task, I never thought that I would go back to school again. Until one day, I sat down and tried to apply for a Job at big and prestige hospitals with good benefits and better pay, I realize that I do not have a qualification that they are looking for, a BBS degree. Also I hear my nursing educator has mentioned that the hospital has been working toward the American Nurses Credentialing Centers (NANCY) magnet certification like most other hospitals.
The hospitals that receive this NANCY magnet certification wards are well-known for their excellence in professional nursing practices, cares, and services to their patients (Gray, 2012) and at least 60% of their staff members hold a BBS degree, especially registered nurses. That pushed me to pursue my long professional goal for BBS in the next two years. For that reason, I am now one of the students in University of Phoenix. Therefore to succeed this, I must work hard like read an assignment a head of time, go to school every class day, go to campus or meet with academic counseling for any assignments that I do not understand.
My AOL is I will get my BBS by the end of the year, 2014, and I will do it because with the BBS degree I can apply to the highest paying hospital Jobs with good benefits. My personal short-term goal is to pass my humanity course calls “Introduction to World Religions” by next month. This is one of my general education courses requirements that I have to complete before I graduate with my BBS. Even though the date line to complete this course is not until next year, my goal is to finish it sooner so I do not rush later because my course may get harder and have more research assignments hat I may not have much times for other things.
So besides reading assignment of my HAS/301 course, I also study and prepare for the humanity test. I want to earn a license as critical care nurse in the next couple years, but I have to work in intensive care unit (CO) for at least two years to be qualified to take critical care state board examination. I must have certification of critical care first in order to work in ICC. So last month, I took a critical care class and got a certification of critical care and I transferred from telemetry floor to ICC last two weeks ago.
In the next two years, I hope to apply for California State Board Exam; if I pass I will receive a license as critical care register nurse (CERN). I will get more pay with CERN license and help support my children’s educations and save money to buy my dream vacation home near the lake or stream in the near future. I always want a house near the stream especially surrounded by the nature. I can imagine how peaceful it is that I can listen to the sound of water flow and the noise of the singing birds or wild animals every day. That is my long dream goal. To reach it, I have to finish my BBS first.
In conclusion, people who have goals are more success in life than those who do not have one. People should have clear goals in mind either personally or professionally, short or long-term plans and ask themselves what do they want for that moment, today, tomorrow, next week, months, or many years later, then learn what they need to do to succeed it. As for me setting goal is Just like having a roadman to guide me to my final destination. However reaching my destination, I must have strong commitment, hardworking, and self-discipline to accomplish both my personal and professional goals.
Step by step, I complete one goal at a time from my short-term and eventually I will reach my lifelong Journey goals.