[2] Nursing care plans have been used for quite a number of years for human purposes and are now also getting used in the veterinary profession.
[2] A care plan includes the following components: assessment, diagnosis, expected outcomes, interventions, rationale and evaluation.
A nursing care plan promotes documentation and is used for reimbursement purposes such as Medicare and Medicaid.
[4] The function of nursing care plans has changed drastically over the past several decades.
[5] Care provided was passed on by word of mouth, dressing books, and work lists.
[5] Today, nursing care plans focus on the individual's unique set of needs and goals.
[6] Therefore, nurses must perform a physical assessment prior to planning a patient's care.