Cynics say that the majority of New Year’s resolutions are forgotten or abandoned by March. Be honest–do you even remember your resolutions from last year? If not, you probably made one of the classic mistakes: you set your sights too high, you didn’t hold yourself accountable, or you picked something you weren’t motivated to achieve.

This year, why not choose a New Year’s resolution that will help you in your nursing career? Whether you’re an LPN or an advanced practice nurse, a well-chosen and realistic resolution is a fun way to motivate yourself to take your nursing profession to the next step. Here are five fun ideas for nursing resolutions:

1. Connect with the nursing community

If your professional sphere is limited to your place of work or to nursing school, make a resolution to expand your circle. Networking is a great way to invest in your career and keep up with current issues. You could join a professional nursing organization, become active on an online nursing forum, or make regular comments on a nursing blog (like this one)!

2. Learn a new skill

As the global hospital shrinks, knowing more than one language can facilitate your prompt delivery of health care. As telemedicine and sophisticated medical technology become more widespread, having up-to-date computer skills can make you a more versatile and efficient care provider. Think about skills that will help you do your current job better, and make a resolution to learn one of those skills.

3. Explore other nursing specialties

The new year is a time to be honest with yourself. Are you feeling the symptoms of burn-out in your current profession? If so, resolve to research and observe other nursing specialties. If you decide it’s time to make a lateral career move, let your resolution be to choose a specialty by a certain date. You’ll possibly need to acquire additional education, so be prepared to pursue an online nursing degree or take a certification exam.

4. Help spread awareness about nursing

For six years in a row, nurses have been lauded by Americans as “the most trusted professionals,” according to an annual Gallup survey. Yet how many times have you been shocked by the lack of awareness about what nurses actually do? Many Americans do not know the difference between an LPN and an RN, or a Nurse Practitioner and a Physician’s Assistant – and most are unaware of the large number of different nursing specialties. Help spread awareness about nursing by sharing your experiences with non-nurses.

5. Be kind to yourself

Do you regularly come home exhausted from your day in a hospital or other health care setting? Driving yourself to your limit will eventually cause you to burn out, which is not helpful to your patients or colleagues. Resolve to set aside a portion of each day or week to relax, recharge, and refresh yourself. The more rested you are, the better you’ll be able to react to stressful situations and bounce back from setbacks in your career or personal life.

Bonus Resolution: File the FAFSA on January 1

If you’re planning on applying to an online nursing school in 2010, don’t shortchange yourself by letting financial aid slip you by. With billions of federal dollars set aside for education by Obama’s stimulus bill, now is the time to act. But much of the aid is doled out on a first-come first-serve basis, so you’ll want to file your FAFSA as soon as possible to get the highest possible amount of aid for nursing school. If you prepare all the documentation beforehand, there’s no reason why you can’t file the FAFSA on January 1, 2010–the earliest day that it’s accepted. Won’t it feel good to cross one resolution off your list before the new year’s even one day old?

Hopefully, these ideas for nursing resolutions have gotten your creative juices flowing. Now it’s your turn. What 2010 resolutions are you planning to make to support and further your nursing career?

Find More Articles About: Online Education, Financial Aid, Nursing Careers, Allied Health Careers, Healthcare Management Careers

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