Question

The nurse is caring for a patient in the rehab unit and preparing her for discharge. The nurse determines that the patient has unmet goals. What is the next step in the process?

1) All goals are discontinued and documented as unattainable.
2) The care plan is discontinued and documented as noncompliant.
3) The nurse stops the discharge process.
4) The nurse decides to continue, revise, or discontinue the goal.

Answer 1

The next step in the process is for the nurse to decide whether to continue, revise, or discontinue the patient's goals. Option 4.

Step-by-step explanation:

The next step in the process when a nurse determines that a patient has unmet goals and is preparing them for discharge is option 4) The nurse decides to continue, revise, or discontinue the goal.

Continuing, revising, or discontinuing the goal allows the nurse to reassess the patient's progress and make any necessary adjustments to the care plan. This ensures that the patient's goals are still appropriate and achievable before they are discharged.

For example, if the patient's goal was to independently walk 50 feet but they are still dependent on assistance, the nurse may decide to continue working on that goal or revise it to a more attainable distance.