Personal Improvement Project

Personal Improvement ProjectSusan MateoNUR 587Dr. Anna RiveraJanuary 26, 2015Personal Improvement ProjectSteps for creating a planDetermine objectivesAssess strengthsAssess weaknessesDetermine a path to objectivesPlan ImplementationDefine stepping stones of pathCreate time lines to accomplish each stepIncorporate flexibility into timelineGather strategies for effective implementation and successful objective achievementIn my opinion, there are basically two approaches a person can take towards life and work. Either we passive follow the path of least resistance letting life happen to us and receiving only what comes to us from our daily interactions or we actively pursue goals and objectives we have determined we desire. I believe active pursuit is inherently more likely to bring us to our desired life than passive waiting. However, one cannot simply chase a dream willy nilly and expect to see it come to fruition. Successful goal achievement requires focused pursuit with observant and effective responses to circumstances. This allows us to take advantage of opportunities and circumvent or overcome obstacles that may arise. We must develop a plan and work that plan so that our goals, our dreams become reality. 2Personal Improvement ObjectivesSteps for creating a planDetermine objectivesAssess strengthsAssess weaknessesDetermine a path to objectives

In order to actively pursue our goals, we must continually improve upon our skills and abilities. This means we must first determine what our objective is. What is it we wish to achieve? As we achieve one goal, we will find that another goal must soon follow if we are remain engaged in life and continue to be fulfilled by our profession. This entails personal growth and improvement over time. Every stage of life will bring new opportunities, ideas, and possibilities to explore and to choose. At this point in my life, I desire a greater role in assisting others to achieve success and I desire to mesh my previous personal and professional experiences into a single avenue for do so. I have learned that professionally, I have three passions. These are teaching, nursing and using computer software to improve and simplify nursing documentation and patient management. My current objective is to secure a job as an instructor for electronic medical records (EMR) software. Creating my plan to obtain this position requires I assess my personal and professional strengths and weaknesses. My reflections for my earlier journal entries helped me recognize my strengths and weaknesses. My strengths include perseverance, flexibility, a firm belief that all levels of nursing professionals make a valuable contribution to the profession, and a commitment to supporting others in their endeavors to learn. My weaknesses include becoming easily bored, frustrated and apathetic when faced with repetitious and unchallenging tasks, requiring frequent change, and difficulty learning the mechanisms of hardware and networks. To obtain employment as an EMR software instructor, I must have a masters degree, at least one certification in some type of software, and belong to a professional organization related to informatics.3Action Plan and Time FramesPlan ImplementationDefine stepping stones of pathCreate time lines to accomplish each stepIncorporate flexibility into timeline

Implementing my plan to achieve my goals requires I set actionable steps that will allow me to reach my objective. The first step is graduating from a masters program in nursing informatics. This step is comprised of many smaller steps that included a) acceptance into a program that fit my lifestyle and ability to attend, b) securing funding for the program, and c) completing each class in the program with an acceptable grade. The second step will be to join a professional informatics association to gain some knowledge about the professional landscape, to determine which certifications will be most helpful, and to make connections within the professional community. The third step will be to complete at least one or two certifications to increase my marketability. Lastly, I will actively seek out employment opportunities to which I may apply and then secure a position in my new field. The time line I have established is as follows. I will complete my masters program by September, 2015. I will research professional organizations and choose one to join by January, 2016. I will complete at least one certification by April, 2016. I will secure a position as an EMR software trainer by June, 2016. However, I am aware that life happens to everyone and unforeseen circumstances may arise that will prevent my reaching any one or more of the steps on my path by the predetermined deadline. I recognize one or more may take longer than planned and am prepared, if needed to adjust my timeline accordingly and if needed, to rearrange the order for accomplishing the steps.4Strategies for Achieving ObjectivesGather strategies for effective implementation and successful objective achievementWork, family life and school balanceSupport systemSeeking opportunities to gain experiences related to objectivesPrioritizing, sacrificing, and accepting limitationsAchieving goals is not something that occurs in a vacuum. Meeting the basic requirements of living, such as food, clothing, shelter and safety means I must continue to work my job while working towards my goals. I must also continue to engage with and meet the needs of my family and friendships. Meeting the requirements for school must be threaded into the time remaining in such a way than none of these areas suffers unduly.My family and friends are my support system and they regularly sacrifice time with me so that I may meet school requirements. However, in order not to neglect them or make them feel minimized in importance, I also will sacrifice some aspects of school, such as class participation, to ensure we remain connected. My current job also impacts my class participation as I frequently work ten to eleven hour days and occasionally have to work on a weekend. However, I always prioritize team assignments and individual assignments to ensure they are submitted timely. Work also grants me opportunities to gain relevant experiences for my desired new role. As the director of education and quality, part of my job is training new employees on how to use our EMR system as well as training all staff on new modules within the system. By prioritizing on a daily basis, making necessary sacrifices and recognizing I cannot do everything all the time, I am actively pursuing my goal and am currently on track to achieve it according to my plan. 5ConclusionPersonal improvement requires planning and commitmentAssessment of strengths, weaknesses and the steps involved in achieving a goal clarifies the path to the goalSetting the plan in place with specific time lines assists in maintaining forward momentumHaving strategies for success in place ensures the goal is reached.Personal improvement is an ongoing and ever changing process. As we attain the various goals we set for ourselves, the doors to new opportunities and possibilities open. Depending on which doors we choose to enter, we may find that the path we ultimately take in life is either the one we have cherished from childhood, or one we would never have dreamed for ourselves until the door opened. Regardless, setting goals and achieving them is one of the foundational characteristics of a successful life, however we may define success. 6