care plan expected outcome etiology

decembergrad2011, BSN, RN · Dec 19, 2010

First of all, every school does care plans different to some extent, and even my care plan documentation has changed between classes throughout the program. So I honestly can try to help but more than likely your source of help will come from your instructor.

When you say etiology - I'm confused on whether he wants you to talk about the disease process in more depth or he's using that word as a placeholder for "correct format." How confusing.

I would guess that he is wanting you to make a broader goal. Goals do not have to be specific or measurable, but outcome criteria do. You current long-term goal is reading more as an outcome criteria than a goal at the moment. Here is something I wrote out for a clinical group during my first semester clinicals, obviously ignore any specifics/book references:

~Goal~

This must start with "The patient will..." and can restate the problem in a positive manner. If your diagnosis has goals in our care plan book, then you can use one of them as your goal. You only need one goal.

~Outcome Criteria~

These must start with "The patient will..." as well. You must have three outcome criterias. Within each criteria, you should follow the SMART client objectives. These objectives consist of 5 parts: *S*pecific, *M*easurable, *A*ctive verb, *R*ealistic and *T*imeframe.

~Interventions~

These must start with "Nurse will..." and can be a modified restatement of the outcome criterias which reflect the nurse taking an active role in meeting (verbs such as educating, forming, helping, etc) the client to meet outcome criterias. These do not have to follow SMART criteria necessarily, but probably will reflect most of it through restatement.

~Rationale~

These must state why the nurse is doing his/her interventions. They basically are factual data based on research (commonsensical or new) to support the intervention. You will give a rationale for each intervention, so you will have 3 rationales total. At least 1 of your rationales must be referenced in APA format.

I would need more information about your patient to help further. Good luck.

CrazierThanYou · Dec 21, 2010

The only thing I can think of is a more specific goal regarding the kinds of symptoms you are addressing. My instructors aren't very picky with goals except that they have to be measurable.

decembergrad2011, BSN, RN · Dec 23, 2010

The only thing I can think of is a more specific goal regarding the kinds of symptoms you are addressing. My instructors aren't very picky with goals except that they have to be measurable.

Do you have outcome criteria as well?

In my program, our care plans include goals and outcome criteria. The goals are broad, typically restatements of the diagnosis in a positive form. i.e. a patient with a DX of Imbalanced Nutrition: Less than Body Requirements would have a goal of "The client will experience balanced nutrition." This goal would be measured by outcome criteria. Examples of outcome criteria could be, "The client will have a BMI within normal limits by the end of hospital stay" or "The client will have albumin and total protein serum values within normal limits by the end of hospital stay" or "The client will eat 75% of meals by the end of hospital stay."

Just adding to the discussion! Different schools do different things. :)

CrazierThanYou · Dec 23, 2010

Do you have outcome criteria as well?
In my program, our care plans include goals and outcome criteria. The goals are broad, typically restatements of the diagnosis in a positive form. i.e. a patient with a DX of Imbalanced Nutrition: Less than Body Requirements would have a goal of "The client will experience balanced nutrition." This goal would be measured by outcome criteria. Examples of outcome criteria could be, "The client will have a BMI within normal limits by the end of hospital stay" or "The client will have albumin and total protein serum values within normal limits by the end of hospital stay" or "The client will eat 75% of meals by the end of hospital stay."
Just adding to the discussion! Different schools do different things. :)

Oh, yes, we do have to have outcome criteria as well.