To promote patient success through goal attainment, which action should the nurse implement?

• A. Ask what the patient would like to achieve.
• B. Set goals without patient input.
• C. Focus only on clinical priorities.
• D. Limit goal review to discharge.

Answer: (A)

Promoting patient success through goal attainment starts with involving the patient in defining what they want to achieve. When a nurse asks what the patient would like to accomplish, it taps into the patient’s values, daily routines, and environmental realities, making goals meaningful and more motivating. This collaborative, patient-centered approach increases engagement, ownership, and adherence, which are essential for reaching those goals. Setting goals without patient input, focusing only on clinical priorities, or reviewing goals only at discharge undermines the patient’s autonomy and misses opportunities to tailor plans, address barriers early, and adjust as progress is made. Ongoing, shared goal setting and regular progress checks throughout care better support successful outcomes.