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attached is the actual smart goals powerpoint where assignment is to be based on
Smart Goals
Jachai Littlejohn
St. Thomas University
NUR-650CL-AP2
Dr. Amira El Kholy
May 25, 2025
Introduction
Psychiatric evaluations are essential for accurate mental health care(Stein et al., 2022).
SMART goals help set clear, achievable objectives for clinical growth.
My goals include, improving confidence in conducting psychiatric evaluations.
Perfecting therapeutic communication skills.
Ask appropriate questions during patient interviews.
Enhancing documentation and treatment planning skills.
Increasing efficiency in patient case presentations.
Psychiatric evaluations are essential in mental health care for accurately assessing patients’ conditions and planning effective treatments (Stein et al., 2022). Developing confidence and skill in conducting these evaluations is critical for clinical success. To ensure meaningful progress during my clinical rotation, I have set five professional goals using the SMART framework. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely, which helps create clear, actionable objectives. These goals focus on improving my confidence in psychiatric evaluations, therapeutic communication, questioning techniques, documentation, and case presentations. By following SMART criteria, I can track my development and make adjustments as needed. This presentation will describe each goal, demonstrating how they meet SMART standards to enhance my clinical competence in psychiatric nursing.
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Goal 1
Goal: Improve confidence in conducting psychiatric evaluations
Specific: Practice assessments during rotations under supervision and feedback.
Measurable: Weekly self-rating scale from 1 to 5 on confidence.
Confidence logs reviewed with preceptor during weekly evaluation meetings.
My first goal is to improve my confidence in conducting initial psychiatric evaluations independently. This goal is specific because it focuses solely on gaining confidence in performing these assessments, which are foundational to patient care in psychiatry. It is measurable by using a weekly self-rating scale from 1 to 5 where I evaluate my confidence level after each evaluation. I will also seek feedback from my preceptor to objectively measure my progress. Tracking these ratings weekly allows me to identify improvements or areas needing more attention. This goal addresses my need to become more comfortable and competent in psychiatric assessments, which is essential for my clinical development and future professional role.
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Goal 1 Cont…
Attainable: Confidence will build with repetition, guidance, and constructive feedback.
Realistic: Fits within expected student responsibilities during clinical rotation.
Timely: Goal will be achieved by the end of the clinical term.
Regarding attainability, this goal is realistic because with repeated practice, observation, and guidance from experienced clinicians, gaining confidence is entirely possible. The clinical environment offers many opportunities to conduct evaluations, and I plan to actively participate in these. It is also realistic because building confidence is a natural part of learning new clinical skills within the scope of my current training level. The timeline I set is to achieve marked improvement by the end of the clinical term, which gives me adequate time for practice and reflection. This goal aligns well with my overall clinical objectives and is both challenging and attainable.
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Goal 2
Goal: Improve active listening and empathetic patient communication techniques.
Specific: Practice empathy, reflection, and validation in every patient interaction.
Measurable: Receive weekly evaluations from preceptor on communication effectiveness.
The second goal focuses on perfecting my therapeutic communication skills, which are essential for establishing rapport and effectively interacting with psychiatric patients. According to Hartley et al. (2021), therapeutic communication is foundational to building trust and promoting positive patient outcomes in mental health settings. The rest should remain the same. Specifically, I want to enhance active listening, empathy, and the use of verbal and nonverbal communication techniques. This goal is measurable through weekly evaluations by my preceptor, peer feedback, and my own reflective journaling about patient encounters. Keeping a communication journal will help me document progress and identify areas where I need improvement. Strengthening these skills will allow me to engage patients more meaningfully and facilitate better therapeutic relationships, which are key to effective mental health care.
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Goal 2 Cont…
Attainable: Frequent patient interactions provide opportunities to practice and improve.
Realistic: Skill development aligns with clinical learning objectives and expectations.
Timely: Target consistent improvement within 6-week clinical placement timeline.
This goal is attainable because I will have daily opportunities to practice communication during patient interviews and group discussions. Role-playing and feedback sessions will further reinforce these skills. It is realistic as developing therapeutic communication is a key competency expected of nursing students and can be improved progressively through practice. I aim to show consistent improvement by the end of my six-week clinical placement, giving me time to integrate feedback and reflect on my experiences. Enhancing communication skills not only benefits patient care but also contributes significantly to my professional growth as a competent and compassionate clinician.
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Goal 3
Goal: Improve ability to ask relevant, open-ended diagnostic questions.
Specific: Use appropriate psychiatric terminology in clinical interview sessions.
Measurable: Preceptor feedback on the appropriateness and depth of questions.
Peer review sessions provide structured opportunities for evaluation and practice.
My third goal is to improve my ability to ask appropriate and clinically relevant questions during patient interviews. Being specific, this means focusing on formulating open-ended, diagnostic, and exploratory questions that help elicit detailed patient information. The goal is measurable because I will track preceptor feedback on the quality of my questions during case presentations and clinical sessions. Peer review sessions will also provide opportunities for constructive evaluation. Asking the right questions is critical for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning, so improving in this area will directly enhance my clinical competence and confidence.
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Goal 3 Cont…
Attainable: Use of scripts and practice interviews supports gradual improvement.
Realistic: Matches current knowledge base and supervised learning environment.
Timely: Reach consistent questioning skills by clinical week six.
This goal is attainable because I will use scripts and structured interview guides during my learning process and receive supervision to refine my questioning technique. It is realistic because I already have foundational knowledge of psychiatric conditions, and this goal builds on my existing skills. According to Zhang et al. (2022), clinical exposure allows ample practice opportunities, and supervisors will provide guidance as needed. The timeline for this goal is to reach consistent proficiency by week six of my clinical rotation, which allows for focused effort early in the term. By mastering appropriate questioning, I will contribute to better patient assessments and improved clinical outcomes.
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Goal 4
Goal: Improve clarity, accuracy, and completeness in clinical documentation.
Specific: Document at least three notes per week under supervision.
Measurable: Review progress using structured documentation checklists.
Peer or preceptor audits provide feedback for continuous improvement.
The fourth goal aims to perfect my clinical documentation and treatment planning skills. Accurate and thorough documentation is essential for continuity of care, legal compliance, and effective communication among healthcare providers (Demsash et al., 2023). This goal is specific as it targets improving clarity and completeness in patient notes and treatment plans. It is measurable by completing at least three documented notes weekly, which will be reviewed by my preceptor using structured checklists. Peer audits may also offer feedback. This practice will help me develop habits for high-quality documentation that meets clinical standards and supports patient safety.
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Goal 4 Cont…
Attainable: EMR templates and examples will help guide accurate entries.
Realistic: Falls within current student documentation responsibilities.
Timely: Aim for independence in documentation by clinical week three.
This goal is attainable because electronic medical record (EMR) templates and clinical mentorship will guide me in proper documentation methods. It is realistic since clinical students are expected to develop and refine documentation skills progressively during rotations. The timeline for achieving independence and proficiency in documentation is by week three, allowing time for practice and feedback. Improving this skill will enhance my ability to contribute meaningfully to patient care teams and prepare me for future professional responsibilities. Good documentation also strengthens accountability and helps ensure quality treatment delivery.
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Goal 5
Goal: Improve structure and delivery of patient case presentations.
Specific: Use SBAR format for all verbal patient presentations.
Measurable: Weekly evaluation on clarity and time-efficiency by preceptor.
Track number of presentations completed and scored each week.
My fifth goal is to increase efficiency in delivering patient case presentations. This goal is specific as it targets structuring presentations clearly and concisely using formats like SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation). It is measurable through weekly supervisor feedback on clarity, thoroughness, and time management during presentations. Tracking the number of presentations and scores will help quantify my progress. According to Sheehan et al. (2021), efficient case presentations are vital for effective communication within multidisciplinary teams, enabling timely decision-making and improving patient outcomes. Mastering this skill is important for professional readiness and leadership.
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Goal 5 Cont…
Attainable: Preceptor guidance and repetition will build presentation confidence.
Realistic: Matches expectations for psychiatric student clinician performance.
Timely: Reach proficiency in case presentation by final week of rotation.
This goal is attainable because preceptor guidance and repeated practice will help me build confidence and refine my presentation skills. It is realistic since it aligns with the expectations for student clinicians and is part of clinical training. The timeline is to achieve proficiency by the final week of the clinical rotation, with ongoing improvements each week. Improving case presentation efficiency will enhance my ability to communicate critical information clearly and foster collaborative care, both essential for successful clinical practice and future career growth.
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References
Demsash, A. W., Kassie, S. Y., Dubale, A. T., Chereka, A. A., Ngusie, H. S., Hunde, M. K., Emanu, M. D., Shibabaw, A. A., & Walle, A. D. (2023). Health professionals’ routine practice documentation and its associated factors in a resource-limited setting: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Health & Care Informatics, 30(1), 1–7.
Hartley, S., Raphael, J., Lovell, K., & Berry, K. (2021). Effective nurse-patient relationships in mental health care: A systematic review of interventions to improve the therapeutic alliance. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 102(1), 1–9.
Sheehan, J., laver, k, Bhopti, A., Rahja, M., Usherwood, T., Clemson, L., & Lannin, N. (2021). Methods and effectiveness of communication between hospital allied health and primary care practitioners: A systematic narrative review. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 14(14), 493–511.
Stein, D. J., Shoptaw, S. J., Vigo, D. V., Lund, C., Cuijpers, P., Bantjes, J., Sartorius, N., & Maj, M. (2022). Psychiatric Diagnosis and Treatment in the 21st century: Paradigm Shifts versus Incremental Integration. World Psychiatry, 21(3), 393–414.
Zhang, J., Shields, L., Ma, B., Yin, Y., Wang, J., Zhang, R., & Hui, X. (2022). The clinical learning environment, supervision and future intention to work as a nurse in nursing students: a cross-sectional and descriptive study. BMC Medical Education, 22(1), 1–9.
