KEEPING YOUR NEW YEAR GOALS – ISSUE NO. 503

As we’re well into January, we’ve had some time to settle into our New Year’s Resolutions and we’re noticing those around us changing from theirs. This initial month of resolutions can be exciting, though it can also be challenging. In order to keep a resolution, you have to go beyond the initial excitement of making it. Time is going to keep going whether or not we accomplish what we set out to. The year 2020 will be here before you know it, despite any desire we might have for it to come slower. And though time doesn’t change, our motivation (or excitement) does; it’s something that fluctuates. We might not have control over time, but we do have control over what we do with it. If the days are going to go by anyway, if all that’s stopping you is your fluctuating motivation, just keep thinking about the prize at the end of the race! I used to run cross country in high school, where we’d run 5k races (3.15 miles). There were days that I specifically didn’t feel motivated or up-to-running but I’d tell myself, “30 minutes are going to go by anyway – just 30 minutes of something really hard, and then I’ll be done for the day – that’s it.” Eventually that attitude taught me persistence and allowed me to develop a lifelong healthy habit. Had I decided not to run, 30 minutes still would’ve passed, and I don’t think that extra 30 minutes of comfort I would’ve had from not running the race would’ve been worth it. It wouldn’t have added anything substantial to my life or my goals. I think it’s important we remind ourselves that with our New Year’s Resolutions, or any goal we set for ourselves, the time is going to go by anyway. Don’t let a moment of “not feeling like it” stop you from making important changes in your life that you thought were worth making in the first place. What goals have you set out for yourself or for your department? As I’ve recently had the chance to visit an endoscope reprocessing room, I’ve learned the steps it takes in order for an endoscope to be fully reprocessed. These steps take time, but they are vital in order to have endoscopes that are safe to be used and to prevent health care-associated infections. If the goal for your processing area is to ensure that each scope is safe-to-be-used, it’s worth taking the time to ensure each step is taken to reach that goal. One of the steps that AAMI and AORN recommend is at least weekly testing of the cleaning process. This step takes time, but it’s worth it. To check out or cleaning verification products, click here.