SMART Goals for Nursing (With Examples)
A SMART nursing goal is a patient-centered outcome that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. In a care plan, goals describe what the patient will do or experience — not what the nurse will do — so they can be checked off as met, partially met, or not met at evaluation.
What SMART stands for (in nursing)
| Letter | Meaning | Nursing example |
|---|---|---|
| S | Specific | Names the exact patient behavior or finding — "patient will ambulate to the bathroom" instead of "patient will move more." |
| M | Measurable | Includes a number, scale, or observable sign — a pain score, a distance, an intake volume, a lab value. |
| A | Achievable | Realistic given the patient's current condition, resources, and length of stay — not the ideal outcome, the reachable one. |
| R | Relevant | Ties directly back to the nursing diagnosis and the problem it's meant to fix. |
| T | Time-bound | States when it will be evaluated — by end of shift, within 24 hours, or by discharge. |
Weak goal vs SMART goal
| Weak goal | SMART goal |
|---|---|
| Patient will feel better. | Patient will report pain 3 or less out of 10 within 1 hour of the intervention. |
| Patient will breathe easier. | Patient will maintain SpO2 at 94% or higher on room air by the end of the shift. |
| Patient will understand their condition. | Patient will correctly list 3 signs of hypoglycemia before discharge. |
| Patient will move around more. | Patient will ambulate 50 feet with a walker and no reported dizziness within 2 days. |
10 SMART nursing goal examples
- Pain: Patient will report pain 3 or less out of 10 within 1 hour of receiving pain medication.
- Mobility: Patient will ambulate the length of the hallway with a walker by discharge.
- Breathing: Patient will maintain SpO2 at 94% or higher on room air by the end of the shift.
- Blood pressure: Patient's blood pressure will remain below 140/90 mmHg for 24 hours prior to discharge.
- Wound healing: Wound will show no signs of infection and decreased drainage by the next dressing change.
- Knowledge: Patient will verbalize 3 signs of hypoglycemia to report to the care team before discharge.
- Anxiety: Patient will report a decrease in anxiety from 8/10 to 4/10 or less by the end of the visit.
- Nutrition: Patient will consume at least 75% of each meal for 2 consecutive days.
- Fall risk: Patient will remain free from falls throughout the hospital stay.
- Medication adherence: Patient will correctly demonstrate self-administration of insulin before discharge.
How to write one for your care plan
- Start from the diagnosis. Look at the problem your nursing diagnosis names — the goal should directly address it.
- Describe the patient, not the nurse. Write what the patient will do, report, or demonstrate — never what you as the nurse will do.
- Add a measurable detail. Attach a number, scale, or observable sign so anyone reviewing the chart can tell if it was met.
- Check it's realistic. Match the goal to the patient's condition, resources, and expected length of stay.
- Set a timeframe. Add when you'll evaluate it — by end of shift, within 24 hours, or by discharge.
Building the plan? The free Care Plan Builder generates SMART goals for any condition automatically.
Goals are just one part of the full picture — see our guide on how to write a nursing care plan for how goals fit with assessment, diagnosis, interventions, and evaluation, or browse care plan examples to see SMART goals used in complete, worked-out plans.
Educational content for nursing students — not medical advice.
SMART goals, generated for you
CarePlanKit writes SMART goals and the full care plan for any condition — free to start.
Build a care plan freeSMART goals in nursing: FAQ
What is an example of a SMART goal in nursing?
"Patient will ambulate 50 feet with a walker and no reported dizziness by the end of the shift." It names the patient action, a measurable distance, a realistic tool (the walker), a clear tie to the patient's condition, and a deadline — every SMART element in one sentence.
What does SMART stand for in nursing?
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Each letter is a check on a goal you write for a care plan: is it clear, can you track it, is it realistic for this patient, does it match the diagnosis, and does it have a deadline?
How do you write a nursing goal?
Start from the nursing diagnosis, then describe the patient outcome you expect — not the task you'll perform. Add a measurable detail (a number, a scale, an observable behavior) and a timeframe, such as "by discharge" or "within 24 hours."
What is the difference between a goal and an outcome in nursing?
In practice the terms are often used together as "goals and expected outcomes." A goal is the broader statement of what you want for the patient; the outcome is the specific, measurable criteria you'll use to decide whether that goal was met. Many care plans write them as a single SMART statement that does both jobs at once.
For nursing education only — NOT medical advice and not a clinical decision-making tool. Nothing here should be used to assess, diagnose, or treat any real patient. Care plans and answers are unverified study drafts to review with your instructor or a licensed clinician and adapt to the individual patient and your institution’s protocols before any use.