Higher education, a fix for email overload and meditation: Nurses share their New Year's resolutions for 2020

New Year's resolution? East Tennessee-based registered nurse John Mayer doesn't do that, admitting he's too focused on "making it through the day I'm in." While that's one valid approach, some nurses do set goals at the New Year and are willing to share them. Some of these resolutions are brief and very specific, others literally involve entire public awareness campaigns. All are inspiring (as is managing to get through one day at a time).

Here is a sampling of nurse New Year's resolutions for 2020:

Roxanna Chicas, registered nurse and nursing doctoral candidate at Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School: "My New Year's resolution is to fight climate change by reducing my plastic use, recycle more and switching to all-natural cleaning products."

Delaney McCann, former ICU nurse and current Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist student: "First, I resolve to survive my first year of CRNA school! And also, journal and/or meditate every day and learn guitar."

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Zakiyyah Weatherspoon, board-certified family nurse practitioner based in Valdosta and CEO of Weatherspoon Medical Staffing, founded in 2019: "My business New Year's resolution is to have at least 50 revolving nursing and allied health candidates whom we always staff across the United States and the Virgin Islands. This will bring in a steady flow of income and help meet our fiscal goals for this business."

Fiona Crawford, ICU float nurse based in Chattanooga: "Though I don't usually do a formal resolution, this year I am planning on getting more education, learning new skills, and taking better care of myself."

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Helen Baker, clinical instructor at Emory's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing: "My resolution for this year is to get control of my email."

Registered nurse Mitzi E. DeBusk, a consultant for a home health agency in Richmond, Virginia, whose young adult daughter Brittany died in 2018 from a cardiac event: "My New Year's resolution is to make the public aware heart disease has no age limit. Simple diagnostic tests can make a difference. Too many kids are dropping dead practicing or during an athletic event. For young adults in their 20s, like my daughter, the first thing people ask is, 'Was it drugs?' Brittany's autopsy showed no drugs, no alcohol. It was a heart defect. Physicians, nurse practitioners and physician's assistants all need to listen to the patient, ask pertinent questions and do a full physical. A simple EKG or echocardiogram can tell so much and save lives. My motto is, 'Every beat matters. Don't skip a chance to save a life.'"