Final answer:
The goals for patients in long-term care facilities are designed to be based on behavioral norms, facilitating measurable and achievable objectives that can be adapted as necessary for optimal patient care.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse designs the goals for patients in long-term care facilities to be based on behavioral norms. This approach ensures that the goals are individualized, realistic, and achievable, considering the patient's current health status and potential for improvement. By focusing on behavioral norms, goals can be concretely measured and thus more effectively evaluated over time. This specificity allows for adjustments in care plans to be made as necessary to optimize patient outcomes. It's important for goals to be clear so staff across the facility can work synergistically towards the patient's well-being.