Care Manager Certification Practice Exam

What framework is a nurse using when they identify a patient's health care needs and devise a care plan to meet those needs?

1. Nursing standards

2. Nursing orders

3. Nurse practice acts

4. Nursing process

The correct answer is: Nursing process

The correct answer is the nursing process, which is a systematic method used by nurses to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate patient care. This framework begins with the assessment phase, where a nurse identifies a patient’s health care needs through observation, interviews, and review of medical history. Following this, the nurse formulates a nursing diagnosis based on the assessment findings. The next step involves planning, where the nurse collaborates with the patient and other health care professionals to create a tailored care plan aimed at addressing identified health issues and promoting optimal health outcomes. The implementation phase involves executing the care plan, and finally, the evaluation phase assesses the effectiveness of the plan and determines if any changes are necessary. Other options, while related to nursing, do not encapsulate the comprehensive and cyclical nature of the care management process in the same way. Nursing standards generally refer to the guidelines and expectations of nursing practice; nursing orders are specific directives for patient care that stem from the nursing process; and nurse practice acts are legislation that defines the scope of nursing practice in specific jurisdictions and do not represent a framework for assessing and addressing patient needs. Thus, the nursing process is the most appropriate answer as it embodies the critical thinking and structured approach necessary for developing individualized care plans