A well-written nursing goal should be which of the following?

A well-written nursing goal should be which of the following?

• A. Patient-centered and measurable
• B. Doctor-centered
• C. Unrealistic and time-consuming
• D. Vague and flexible

Answer: (A)

Goals in nursing care should focus on the patient and be stated so progress can be observed and measured. A patient-centered goal centers on the patient’s needs, values, and active participation in care, ensuring the plan aligns with what the patient wants and can realistically achieve. A measurable goal provides clear criteria to determine when it’s met, often including a specific action, a quantifiable target, and a time frame. This combination guides interventions and makes evaluation straightforward. Choosing a goal that is doctor-centered, unrealistic and time-consuming, or vague and flexible undermines both patient engagement and the ability to track progress. For example, a goal like “the patient will ambulate around the unit by next week” is vague and hard to measure, whereas a patient-centered, measurable goal would specify who, what, how much, and by when, such as “the patient will ambulate 100 feet with a walker with supervision by the end of day three.”

Goals in nursing care should focus on the patient and be stated so progress can be observed and measured. A patient-centered goal centers on the patient’s needs, values, and active participation in care, ensuring the plan aligns with what the patient wants and can realistically achieve. A measurable goal provides clear criteria to determine when it’s met, often including a specific action, a quantifiable target, and a time frame. This combination guides interventions and makes evaluation straightforward.

Choosing a goal that is doctor-centered, unrealistic and time-consuming, or vague and flexible undermines both patient engagement and the ability to track progress. For example, a goal like “the patient will ambulate around the unit by next week” is vague and hard to measure, whereas a patient-centered, measurable goal would specify who, what, how much, and by when, such as “the patient will ambulate 100 feet with a walker with supervision by the end of day three.”