The care planning process

Planning the delivery of care to a patient, service user or client is fundamental to the delivery of meaningful nursing care. Understanding and applying a structured process to the planning of care is necessary if the delivery is going to meet the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (2018a) requirement that ‘people’s physical, social and psychological needs are assessed and responded to’ and that nurses ‘act in the best interests of people at all times’. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018b) regard the care planning process to be so important, it makes up two of the platforms of proficiency required of the registered nurse, ‘assessing needs and planning care’ and ‘proving and evaluating care’.

Furthermore, care planning enables the nurse to use evidence to direct their care delivery as well as to keep records of the care they plan and deliver. A structured plan of care also enables nurses to deliver consistent