[cotjockey]

I'm still pretty new at this and I haven't taken any official classes, so I still have a lot to learn. I'm just wondering how long everyone makes their care plans? I have one supervisor telling me that they should only be four or five problems long and that if a diagnosis isn't really affecting the resident, we don't need to care plan it...also we don't need to have every medication included on the care plan. The other supervisor is telling me that every diagnosis and every medication needs to be on the care plan. We have some care plans that are currently 25 problems long...not really workable because no one is going to take the time to read them.

Any ideas?

[Nascar nurse]

I believe in the philosophy that "less is more" and too detailed will get you killed.... but apparently my local state surveyors are of a different mind set this year.

Typically my careplans would average 8-12 problems long. I work on a medicare unit, w/ lots of post ortho surgeries, so I end up w/ the RAPS that need careplanned, plus usually also have one for pain, anticoagulant medication, surgical wound/risk for infection, oxygen use.

This past survey tho, now has me careplanning every single resident with a B/P med. Which I think is absolutely stupid.. some of these folks have been on medication for years and stable for years. BUT, state picked up on the one person w/ 3 different drugs and even tho they are stable, they felt this presented big risk factors and therefore should be careplanned. Well then came in coorporate consultants and has now turned into careplanning every resident! Jeez, it's the overkill in this business that wears me out! We get so much CRAP in these C.P. that no one is ever gonna take the time to read it (except for surveyors of course)

[cadburypam]

Depends on the problem. It also depends on the resident. If they have specific approaches I need to add then it can get a little long. You have to be careful though, you can paint yourself into a corner with the state survey team with care plans because they are going to look at all of the approaches to see if the staff are following each and everyone of them, so make sure they are!

[Rexie68]

I'd say for a new resident, I average about 8 care plans for nursing, 2-3 for social services, 1 for activities and 1-2 for dietary. Each discipline does their own (though I sometimes have to remind them.) I CP the RAPS and pain (can't believe that's not a RAP!) I don't CP every med....just antipsychotic/antidepressant/antianxiety meds and coumadin. I don't CP every BP med....only a resident with unstable hypertension....so far no problems with the state, but they change their mind as often as I change my.....socks. If someone is on insulin, I don't write a specific CP for the insulin, but a general "potential for hypo/hyper-glycemia CP that includes meds, CS, etc. Hope this helps...good luck!!