What is the term for a plan developed for each resident to achieve specific goals?

• A. Care plan
• B. Treatment plan
• C. Care protocol
• D. Nursing plan

Answer: (A)

A care plan is an individualized, resident-centered plan created after assessment to help a resident reach specific goals. It brings together the resident’s needs, preferences, and health status into one coordinated plan that guides daily care, safety, comfort, mobility, nutrition, and rehabilitation. The care team uses it to set clear goals, determine appropriate interventions, and evaluate progress over time, adjusting as the resident’s condition changes. This holistic, person-focused approach is what makes the term the best fit for planning a resident’s path to specific outcomes.

A treatment plan is more medically oriented, outlining diagnoses, therapies, and medical interventions directed by healthcare providers. A care protocol is a standardized procedure for performing a task, not a personalized plan for individual goals. A nursing plan isn’t the typical term used to describe a comprehensive resident-centered plan in most facilities.