Do you have to make care plans once you are a working nurse?

[jlhalloween]

Just curious. I see posts about help with careplans for nursing school assignments, but do you have to do the careplans once you are an LVN or RN?

[suznan]

In the hospital where I do clinicals they have preprinted care plans for everything. At the end of the shift we have to go over them and sign off on things that have been done ie education, and any goals that have been met. Susan

[marilynmom, LPN, NP]

I'm in my Psych rotation now and they do use written care plans, nursing diagnoses, etc for each patient.

[RGN1]

We too have printed care plans & they're not used like they should be because most people just write on a continuation sheet that's at the front. They are poorly designed so if everyone did use them they would soon look a complete mess. I religiously do use them because I'm trying to prove that last point!!

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

just curious. i see posts about help with careplans for nursing school assignments, but do you have to do the careplans once you are an lvn or rn?

i haven't made out a care plan since 1978.

[octopus]

In my hospital in Australia, every patient must either have a clinical pathway (which outlines a set pathway of care they must follow) or a care plan if no pathway is available (these care plans do not list nursing diagnosis and interventions and rationale... only the interventions). This documentation covers us legally - if we have signed the pathway or the care plan, it is assumed that we have provided the care. If there is no pathway or care plan, a judge would presume that we provided no care unless we had documented in minute detail all that we had done.

I have worked as an agency nurse, and careplans are a life saver... if you have never met a patient before, and are unfamiliar with the protocols and process for a particular hospital/ward, they make life so much simpler.

I used to love producing care plans - they made me think and I learned a lot from them (then again, I'm someone who enjoys studying so that makes me all round odd???!!!). They also cemented rationales in my mind... care plans are easy to write now because of the practice I had over the years.

Stick at it - your hard work will pay off!