Which step of the nursing process involves evaluating outcomes and adjusting care?

• A. Assessment
• B. Diagnosis
• C. Evaluation
• D. Implementation

Answer: (C)

Evaluating outcomes and adjusting care happens during the evaluation phase of the nursing process. In this phase you review how the patient responds to interventions and decide whether the goals and expected outcomes were met. You compare actual results with the predefined criteria, and if goals aren’t met or new issues appear, you revise the care plan and modify the interventions or targets. This evaluation is ongoing and draws on information from all earlier steps to judge the overall effectiveness of care.

For example, if the goal is to reduce pain from 8/10 to 3/10 within 48 hours, you check the current pain level, watch for side effects, assess function, and gauge patient satisfaction. Depending on what you find, you might continue the current plan, adjust medications, add nonpharmacologic methods, or set new objectives. The other steps involve gathering data (assessment), interpreting it to identify problems (diagnosis), and putting the plan into action (implementation).