GOAL SETTING FOR HEALING: NEW YEAR, NEW WOUND CARE ROUTINE

Happy New Year! As we start this new chapter, many people think about their personal goals and resolutions. For those recovering from wounds, this New Year is an excellent chance to establish a clear and achievable wound care routine. This routine can help speed up healing, prevent complications, and enhance overall health. At our wound care practice, we focus on pairing hope, education, and practical methods to help patients take charge of their healing journey.

Why Goal Setting Matters in Wound Healing

Wound healing is a gradual process. Whether you are dealing with a surgical wound, diabetic ulcer, pressure injury, or traumatic wound, consistent care is crucial. Setting clear goals helps patients:

• Stay organized and maintain regular care
• Track progress and celebrate small wins
• Lower the risk of infection or wound worsening
• Feel empowered to play an active role in their healing

The New Year inspires reflection and motivation, making it a great time to set realistic, measurable, and meaningful wound care goals.

Step 1: Assess Your Current Wound Care Routine

Before you set new goals, evaluate your current routine:

• Are you changing dressings as instructed?
• Are you looking for signs of infection, like redness, warmth, or increased drainage?
• Are you following your wound care provider’s advice on mobility, offloading, or compression?

Understanding your current situation allows you to pinpoint areas for improvement and set achievable goals for the upcoming months.

Step 2: Set SMART Goals for Healing

SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—are effective for wound care. Some examples are:

• Specific: “I will change my wound dressing every Wednesday and Friday.”
• Measurable: “I will track wound size and drainage daily in a journal or app.”
• Achievable: “I will walk for 10 minutes three times a day to boost circulation without stressing the wound.”
• Relevant: “I will focus on hydration and protein intake to aid tissue repair.”
• Time-bound: “By the end of January, I will meet my wound care provider to assess my healing progress.”

SMART goals offer clarity, motivation, and a sense of achievement as you observe improvements over time.

Step 3: Incorporate Daily Habits for Wound Healing

New Year's resolutions often aim at lifestyle changes, which also applies to wound care. Add small but significant habits that promote recovery:

• Nutrition: Focus on protein, vitamins A and C, zinc, and enough hydration to enhance healing.
• Skin care: Moisturize surrounding skin, avoid harsh soaps, and check your skin daily for redness or irritation.
• Activity: Follow mobility or offloading advice to improve circulation and lessen pressure on wounds.
• Hygiene: Keep your hands clean and maintain a clean environment around the wound to reduce infection risks.

Even minor, daily actions can speed up healing and lower complications.

Step 4: Track Progress and Celebrate Milestones

Monitoring your wound healing progress can be motivating and informative. Consider:

• Taking weekly photos (with the right safety measures and consent) to track changes
• Logging pain levels, drainage, or wound size in a notebook or app
• Noting improvements like less swelling, reduced redness, or faster tissue growth

Celebrate small milestones; every step forward counts in your healing journey.

Step 5: Plan for Challenges

Healing isn’t always linear. Unexpected events such as illness, travel, or weather changes can delay progress. Preparing for these challenges helps you stay on track:

• Bring extra dressings or supplies when traveling
• Keep in touch with your wound care team if things change
• Adjust your activity levels if swelling or discomfort increases

Having a plan can lower stress and help you stay focused on your wound care routine.

A New Year’s Message From Our Wound Care Team

As we welcome the New Year, we want to remind our patients that every small step toward healing is valuable. Wound care is a journey that takes patience, consistency, and dedication—but it can also be empowering. By setting practical goals, building supportive habits, and collaborating with your wound care provider, you can make significant progress this year.

We wish you a Happy New Year filled with health, hope, and healing. May 2026 be a year of recovery, growth, and celebration of every milestone, no matter how small. Remember, your wound care routine is not just a daily task; it's an investment in your well-being and future.

Key Takeaways:

• Use the New Year as a motivation to assess and improve your wound care routine
• Set SMART goals to guide your healing journey
• Add nutrition, skin care, activity, and hygiene to your daily habits
• Track progress and celebrate small victories
• Prepare for challenges to maintain consistency

With careful planning and commitment, you can start the New Year while actively supporting your healing and overall health.

Author

Jenna Wishnew Dr. Jenna Wishnew is a board-certified general surgeon with over a decade of experience serving the North Dallas community. Known for her compassionate, patient-centered care, she specializes in wound care and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), currently serving as Medical Director at the Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center at Methodist Richardson Medical Center. Dr. Wishnew is a recognized leader in her field, earning two international awards for excellence in wound care. She also has extensive experience managing gastroparesis and Enterra Gastric Stimulators.