Long-Term Care

Trainer’s tip: Get the most out of quarterly care plan reviews

LTC Nursing Assistant Trainer, May 20, 2010

During quarterly care plan reviews, evaluate each resident’s progress. Determine if the resident has met or is making progress toward the goals. If the goal is futile, eliminate it. As the resident meets small goals, add new ones. If the resident is not meeting the stated goals, try to learn the reason. Then modify the goals or the approaches so they are more realistic and achievable for the resident. Although the resident is making progress, the care plan may be modified, simplified, or improved. This helps the resident slowly build on small successes, so larger goals are gradually achieved.

As residents’ conditions improve, they begin to meet more needs on their own. This provides a great sense of self-satisfaction and accomplishment, and keeps residents psychologically healthy. If residents have physical problems preventing self-care, encourage them to control their own care and make decisions about their routines. This empowers the resident and provides mental satisfaction.

This is an excerpt from the HCPro book, The Long-Term Care Nursing Desk Reference, Second Edition, by Barbara Acello, MS, RN.

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