Writing specific, measurable goals

[Kiansi]

Hi Everyone!

I am new to Allnurses, so forgive me if someone has already asked this question. I am trying to write my student goals for an ICU preceptorship. The goals must be specific and measurable and related to the RN role.

I've been in healthcare my entire life. (13 years as a CNA, 13 years as an LPN, now in RN school with graduation only 8 weeks away).Sheesh! You'd think that this part would be easy for me! Unfortunately, writing these goals is the one area that I struggle with.

We are not supposed to use "task-oriented" procedures as a learning goal because tasks are in the LPN role. So ... CVP lines, LVAD devices, ventilators, and other technical gadgets are out. I've already used goals related to delegation, time management, and Propofol infusion.

Dude! This instructor is tough on goal selection! Help! Next week I will be in an ICU for a 3-day preceptorship.

I need 5 Goals. This is what I have so far:

1. I will utilize evidence-based research to facilitate an educational experience for multidisciplinary staff in the ICU setting by 04/03/09

2. I will utilize the nursing process to assess, diagnose, and establish a plan that safely manages and evaluates the biopsychosocial, spiritual, and cultural needs of a critical ICU patient and their family in the healthcare setting by 04/03/09

3. I will apply 1 management concept in the ICU setting, in collaboration with the healthcare team, by 04/03/09

Hmmm ... the ones I have still need work. Any suggestions?

Thank you, Kiansi

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

1. i will utilize evidence-based research to facilitate an educational experience for multidisciplinary staff in the icu setting by 04/03/09 - why don't you just say you will give an inservice to all the staff?

2. i will utilize the nursing process to assess, diagnose, and establish a (what kind of) plan that safely manages and evaluates the biopsychosocial, spiritual, and cultural needs of a critical icu patient and their family in the healthcare setting by 04/03/09

3. i will apply 1 management concept in the icu setting, in collaboration with the healthcare team, by 04/03/09 - this sounds nice, but i have no idea what this means. why not just identify a concept?

4. you need to be able to give change of shift report on the patients you will be caring for. the

student clinical report sheet for one patient

can be used to take report on one patient. you will find that the nurses in the icu probably have some type of sheet they use to take report on their patients. icu nurses are masters at organizing and managing the care of their patients because it is changing constantly.

5. look up what the sbar technique for calling doctors is. icu nurses have to call doctors to inform them of patient change in condition and ask for orders

all the time

. this is something you have never had to do as a student and is a goal you should put on your list. if you can't actually do it in your preceptorship, you should endeavor to learn how to do it by the end of this rotation because as a working

rn

you will be doing it on a daily basis as part of your problem solving and management of patient care. [if you can't find anything on the sbar for calling docs--there are old threads on it on allnurses--ask me and i will give you the information]

if you take the hands on part out of our nursing care, what is left are these functions:

• assess/monitor/evaluate/observe (to evaluate the patient's condition)
  
• teach/educate/instruct/supervise (educating patient or caregiver)
  
• manage/refer/contact/notify (managing the care on behalf of the patient or caregiver)
  

i see you have a teaching and a management goal in your list. there are things you can monitor in the icu as well. that is what a good deal of that equipment is doing. a task is one thing. trouble shooting and analysis is quite another. an lpn may be able to see that a patient is having trigiminal runs of pvcs on the ekg monitor, but it is a decision made by an rn as to whether to engage the unit's standing orders and treat it. an lpn cannot do that. that has to do with monitoring, assessment and management.

i would make one of my goals to become familiar with the policies and procedures that are specific for the medications that icu staff is permitted to give and what you need to know about these drugs. [icu rn staffs are usually granted permission to administer certain drugs that other nursing departments cannot give.]