A nurse is reviewing care plans. Which finding, if identified in a plan of care, should the registered nurse revise?

A) Patient's outcomes for learning
B) Nurse's assumptions about hospital discharge
C) Identification of several actual health problems
D) Documentation of patient's ability to meet the goal

The nurse should not assume when a patient is going to be discharged and document this information in a plan of care. Making assumptions is not an example of a critical thinking skill. The purpose of the nursing process is to diagnose and treat human responses (e.g., patient symptoms, need for knowledge) to actual or potential health problems. Use of the process allows nurses to help patients meet agreed-on outcomes for better health. The patient's outcomes, having several actual health problems, and a description of the patient's abilities to meet the goal are all appropriate to document in the nursing plan of care.