Happy New Year! As an orthopaedic nurse, the start of a new year often draws me into reflection about my professional practice and personal development. I start to look at goals I have and how I want to accomplish them. Two common approaches to thinking about personal growth are resolutions and intentions. While these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they differ significantly in focus, structure, and impact on nursing practice.
New Year’s resolutions are most often what we think of when it comes to personal and professional goals. Resolutions tend to be outcome-focused commitments that define specific goals to be achieved within a set timeframe. They tend to be structured, measurable, and performance-driven, emphasizing what you want to accomplish. In orthopaedic nursing, resolutions might include completing an advanced orthopaedic certification, attending professional conferences, mastering safe mobilization techniques for joint replacement patients, or reducing postoperative complications such as falls. These resolutions provide clear direction and accountability, supporting skill development and quality improvement on orthopaedic units. However, the rigid nature of resolutions can sometimes lead to frustration, particularly in demanding clinical environments where staffing shortages, high workloads, or unexpected challenges may interfere with goal attainment.
In contrast, intentions are focused on the process and based on general values that an individual personally holds. Rather than concentrating on a specific result, intentions guide how nurses approach their daily practice. As values, they are flexible and emphasize mindset, professional behavior, and consistency. Some examples of intentions in orthopaedic nursing can include prioritizing patient-centered mobility, improving communication around pain management and rehabilitation, supporting new staff, and practicing self-care to prevent musculoskeletal injury and burnout. Intentions encourage compassion, adaptability, and reflection, making them especially valuable in high-pressure healthcare settings. Their main limitation is that they may lack structure unless turned into tangible actions.
I have found that the most effective approach for orthopaedic nurses is to combine resolutions and intentions. An intention establishes the guiding principle, while a resolution provides a practical pathway to achieve it. For example, an intention to improve patient mobility and safety can be paired with a resolution to complete advanced training in postoperative mobilization and falls prevention. Together, they balance measurable professional development with sustainable, patient-centered care.
By integrating both resolutions and intentions, we as orthopaedic nurses can foster continuous growth, enhance patient outcomes, and maintain resilience in their practice throughout the year. I hope you and I can use this approach to have an incredible 2026 and I hope to see you at the NAON Congress in April!
Matt Lowe MDiv, MSN, APRN FNP-C, ONC
President
National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses