STUPID GOAL SETTING

SMART is what will come out when people set goals.  Personally, I'm tired of it.  I think SMART goals only work because it gives the impression that you are smart if yo use the SMART format. So, I am proposing a new method of Goal Setting.  A method that I feel is really relevant in the real world.  So world....here it is.  When you set goals you must think of the following:

SERVICE - 

- you cannot set goals if your service does not allow you to.

- everything that you do matters and has an outcome

- every service that you provide has an innate Goal that goes with it

- assessment activities, therefore, would warrant inclusion in your goals as a service provider. Otherwise, you will be doing things for free and that is not fair to you.

TIME

- the therapist does not dictate time.  It is the service or the insurance that dictates time. So, if you are to set time frame, make sure that the time frame is only at the level where you finish your service.  So if the patient is in the hospital, your goals should be set at the time frame of discharge date.  

UNIQUE

- Goals should be unique to every individual.  This is because every person is different. So, do away with templates.

PROBLEM BASED

- Goals are only set because there is a problem to be resolved.

-every action that we do, either conscious or unconsciously, are geared towards resolving a problem

e.g.

Goal: the person scratches his neck ; Why(Problem) because his neck was itchy - this is an actual event as I am writing these

Goal: the person will open the the door; Why (problem)? He cannot get to the other side of the room

Goal: The person will ask question about where the restaurant is; Why (problem)? The person does not know where the restaurant is.

an it goes on and on  and on......

INTEGRATED

- When one sets Goals it has to be integrated.  Particularly if you are working with a client/service user.  Everybody's problem, as long as it it is relevant to patient care, should be in on it.  The client's wife, children, the nurse, the doctor etc. As long as it is relevant to the patient case and it causes a problem that needed resolving, set goals on it.  Integrated means that it should also be written in a single document so that everybody can refer to it and that there's no need to hunt for it in the cast patient notes.

DYNAMIC - 

when you set goals, and you implement actions to resolve it, there will be outcome and result.  Write it down. Your goals will yield a result and your following action will be in response to that result.  Your actions will have outcomes where you will be basing your judgement that will cause you to react.  It is a domino and it is ever changing and always flowing.  This imply that goal setting is a moving phenomenon it you actively look into it in detail

So...yes. The alternative to SMART GOAL setting is (drum roll) STUPID GOAL setting!.  Goals set that considers Service, Time frame of Service, Uniqueness of individual patients, Problems that needed to be resolved, Integrated and inclusion of everybody involved in the care on the patient and Dynamism