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As the year comes to a close, it’s a good time to reflect on the successes of the past year, while making plans to start fresh in the next year. New Year’s resolutions might seem corny to some, but for nurses, they’re a great opportunity to reflect and breathe new life into your career. Here are six resolutions for nurses that are about more than just losing weight, plus specific goals that will help you stick to your resolutions.
1. Travel somewhere new
Lots of people set lofty goals to travel for their New Year’s resolution, but sometimes money and time can get in the way of adventure, especially for nurses. A great way to get the benefit of travel without having to break the bank is going on weekend trips to nearby cities or destinations like national parks. Sometimes the best adventures are in your own backyard. Make it a goal to travel somewhere new once every two months, even if that’s just a quick road trip.
For travel nurses, this resolution is guaranteed. Work takes them to new places across the country, and lots of nurses can choose where they work based on where they want to travel. For example, Teresa Hamilton loves being by the ocean, so her recruiter finds jobs for her that are right by the sea.
2. Challenge yourself with a new environment
We get it — nursing is challenging already. But when you’re in the mentality of seeing a challenge as a good thing, your mentality for work will change for the better. A great way to challenge yourself is by working in a new environment. For your next travel nurse assignment, choose to work in a new setting. If you usually work in urban areas, choose a small rural clinic for your next job. Even nurses with a permanent job can challenge themselves by volunteering in a local nonprofit clinic to get a change of scenery. Make it a goal to work in at least one new environment this year — you’ll be astounded at how much you’ll learn.
3. Learn one new thing each day
Nurses spend years preparing to become nurses, but once you start working in your specialty, it may be easy to fall into a predictable routine. Push yourself to learn at least one new thing each day. This can be learning how to work a new piece of medical equipment or taking some time to read about the latest medical studies. You can also learn something new outside of work! Hobbies are a great way to balance the stress of work. Push yourself to spend 10 to 15 minutes each day learning something new.
4. Share what you’ve learned
Nursing is all about mentorship and collaboration between nurses. If you take the time to share with another nurse what you’ve learned, you’ll improve your relationship with other nurses, and you’ll increase the quality of care across hospitals and clinics. Plus, when you teach somebody something new, they’ll be more likely to share something in return. Try to share something you’ve learned with someone new once a week. For a more long-term goal, look for opportunities to be a mentor to a newer nurse and focus on helping that nurse throughout the year.
5. Talk to new people (and make new friends)
Nurses meet new patients each day, but becoming friends with coworkers and doctors can broaden your perspective and teach you new skills. Travel nursing is a great way to meet new people in your field. But of equal importance is that travel nurses get to meet locals in the areas they work. These locals have different cultures, even if the travel nurse is from just a state away. Locals can teach you about the history of their area and their own culture, which gives you new perspectives that will improve your ability to relate to patients. Challenge yourself to talk to one new person a day, and you’ll be surprised at how many friends you’ll make throughout the year.
6. Find a better work/life balance
This is perhaps the biggest resolution that anyone in any career might have. But for nurses, balancing life and work is paramount. If you focus too much on your work, you’ll be at risk for burnout, which can lead to a lower quality of care for your patients. A lot of these resolutions will help decrease burnout, but nurses should be proactive in focusing on balancing life and work. First, learn to recognize your signs of burnout. When you do feel burnt out, take some time for yourself to reset. Realign your goals, spend time with friends and family, and take time to relax. To focus on this balance, try to evaluate your burnout levels at least once a month.
Interested in trying out travel nursing in the new year? Explore today’s travel nursing opportunities.
