Goals in the planning phase are statements that describe what change?

Goals in the planning phase are statements that describe what change?

• A. They describe the desired change in a client's condition or behavior.
• B. They describe the nurse's preferences
• C. They specify hospital policy
• D. They are unrelated to patient condition

Answer: (A)

Goals in the planning phase specify the exact changes in the client’s condition or behavior that the nursing care aims to achieve. They are written as observable, measurable outcomes—for example, the patient will ambulate 100 feet with a walker by the end of day three, or the patient’s pain will be rated 3/10 or less with rest and analgesia within 24 hours. These outcomes guide which interventions to choose and provide criteria to evaluate progress. They must be patient-centered, realistic, and time-bound, and they stem from the nursing diagnosis. They are not descriptions of the nurse’s preferences, hospital policy, or anything unrelated to the patient's condition.

Goals in the planning phase specify the exact changes in the client’s condition or behavior that the nursing care aims to achieve. They are written as observable, measurable outcomes—for example, the patient will ambulate 100 feet with a walker by the end of day three, or the patient’s pain will be rated 3/10 or less with rest and analgesia within 24 hours. These outcomes guide which interventions to choose and provide criteria to evaluate progress. They must be patient-centered, realistic, and time-bound, and they stem from the nursing diagnosis. They are not descriptions of the nurse’s preferences, hospital policy, or anything unrelated to the patient's condition.