ANGELES UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION

Angeles City
College of Nursing

Nursing Care Plan (NCP) Guidelines

Assessment Nursing Diagnosis Scientific Objectives Interventions Rationale Expected Outcome

Explanation

1. Overall 1. The nursing 1. The explanation 1. Objectives should 1. Interventions must 1. The stated 1. The label to be used should
appearance of the diagnosis should should begin with have both short term include rationale should be be EXPECTED OUTCOME and
patient should be have a problem the explanation of and long term. INDEPENDENT, scientific and should NOT evaluation.
included as to statement, etiology the disease process DEPENDENT AND not be based from
indicate relevance to and signs and and its relevance to INTERDEPENDENT. opinions.
the problem symptoms (P-E-S the identified 2. Objectives should 2. The expected outcome should
identified. format) except for nursing diagnosis as be relevant to the be accurate and complete.
Risk problem (P-E indicative of the nursing diagnosis. 2. Each intervention 2. The rationale
format). patient’s response should be stated should be relevant
2. Subjective and to illness. accurately and and should explain 3. The use of the phrase
objective cues should 3. Objectives should completely. the reason of the “SHALL HAVE” should be made
be presented as 2. The use of be stated SPECIFIC, needed intervention. during formulation.
actual and potential medical or surgical 2. Explanation MEASURABLE,
manifestations. condition should be should be ATTAINABLE, And 2. Intervention that is
utilized appropriately. scientifically based, REALISTIC and assessment-based 3. The rationale
accurate and 4. The expected outcome should
TIME BOUND. should be written provided should be have both short term and long
3. Objective cues complete. first and should be within the scope of term.
should be 3. Related to, as under independent nursing theory and
enumerated in IPPA evidenced by/ 4. The given time nursing function. practice.
format if necessary. manifested by, 3. Explanation frame for the
secondary to should should be 5. The expected outcome should
resolution of the be SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE,
be used patient-based and problem should be 3. Health teachings 4. Each rationale
appropriately as be properly ATTAINABLE, REALISTIC and
4. Objective cues realistic for the nurse must also be part of should correspond TIME BOUND.
should be connecting phrases. sequenced. to perform and for
enumerated on the patient to the independent to every intervention
cephalocaudal achieve. nursing functions identified.
approach. 4. Problem should be 4. Explanation 6. The expected outcome (short
stated completely should be based term) should address partial
and accurately. according to various resolution of the problem while
concepts of nursing. 5. Plans related to 3. Nursing 5. The rationale long term expected outcome
5. Objective and provision of health intervention should stated should be in should address the complete
subjective cues teaching should make use of present complete sentence resolution of the problem.
should be supportive 5. Problem identified include both tense during and should explain
of the identified should be related to 5. Explanation verbalization and formulation. the necessity of the
problem. the cues previously should not be too demonstration of intervention within
enumerated. medical that it health teachings the nurse’s point of 7. The expected outcome should
deviates from the given. view. be stated that it indicates the
nurse’s view of the 4. Interventions patient/family/community’s
6. Objective cues disease process. should be stated optimal level of functioning.
should be stated as 6. Problem should be declaratively.
manifestations and appropriate to the 6. Long term
should NOT be patient’s response to objectives should
stated as medical illness or treatment. 6. References must aim to resolve the
be included. 5. The list of
diagnosis. main or underlying interventions should
problem and be complete to solve
7. Problem short-term objectives the identified
7. Each statements should addressing to solve problem and to meet
manifestation should be based from the partially the problem the specific STO and
be accurately and latest edition of the statement. LTO
completely identified North American
and described. Nursing Diagnosis
Association 7. Plan of care
(NANDA). 6. Referral to other
should be directed members of the
8. Laboratory results toward the resolution health care should
should be included if of the etiology of the be included as to
a problem is problem statement. promote
pathophysiologic in collaboration.
nature.
8. The tense of the
verb used in the 7. Interventions
9. Normal findings construction of the should be directed to
should NOT be
included under objectives should be both patient and his
assessment. future. or her family.

10. Risk problems

should have cues
that indicate the
presence of a risk
problem while actual
problem should have
cues indicating the
presence of an actual
problem.

11. The use of (+) or

(-) should be applied
only to special body
signs

12. Objective cues

that may be
manifested by the
client are presented
 ANGELES UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
Angeles City
College of Nursing

NURSING CARE PLAN’S CRITICAL APPRAISAL RUBRIC

(30 points)

CRITERIA EXEMPLARY ACCOMPLISHED DEVELOPING BEGINNING LAUNCHIN SCORE

G
Assessment Utilized all data sources Majority of the identified The identified assessment There is a very limited None is
(subjective and objective cues) assessment findings findings (subjective and identification of assessment presented
identifies clear, specific and (Subjective and objective cues) objective cues) provide a weak findings (subjective and
relevant cues clustered to support the nursing problem support to the nursing problem objective cues) that they fail to
Assigned provide a complete and strong while a few cues are unrelated because majority of the represent the nursing problem.
Weight: support on the nursing to the nursing problem. identified cues are unrelated.
5 Points problem.
3.75 Points 0 point
2.5 Points 1.25 Points
5 Points
 Nursing The nursing diagnosis is
Diagnosis NANDA- approved and follows
the ProblemEtiology-Signs and
Symptoms (PES) format for
actual nursing diagnosis; and
PE format for risk nursing
diagnosis with appropriate use
of connecting phrases (related
Assigned to from problem to etiology and
Weight: as evidenced/ manifested by
4 Points from etiology to signs and
symptoms).
4 Points
The nursing diagnosis is
NANDA- approved but either
fails to follow the format or
makes use of inappropriate
connecting phrases.
3 Points
The nursing diagnosis is
NANDA- approved but fails to
follow required format and has
inappropriate connecting
phrases.
2 Points
The nursing diagnosis is not None is
NANDA- approved with presented
inappropriate format and with
wrong use of connecting
phrases or: a nursing
diagnosis that is not NANDA-
approved even if with an
appropriate format and
connecting phrases.
0 point
1 Point

Scientific Comprehensively discusses Explanation lack 1-2 of the Explanation lack 3-4 of the Explanation lack 5-6 of the None is
Explanation with the following criteria: stated criteria stated criteria stated criteria discussed
1. Should begin with the
explanation of the disease
process and its relevance to
Assigned the identified nursing
Weight: diagnosis
4 Points 2. Explanation should be
scientifically based,
accurate and complete.
3. Explanation should be
patientbased and be
properly sequenced.
4. Explanation should be
based according to various
concepts of nursing.
5. Explanation should not be
too medical that it deviates
from the nurse’s view of the
disease process.
6. References must be 3 Points 2 Points 1 Point 0 point
included.
 4 Points
Objectives Both identified short-term and The short-term and long-term One of the objectives (either Both short-term and long-term None is
longterm objectives are objectives are appropriately short or long-term) is not objectives are not SMARTly identified
SMARTly stated stated but show minimal lack SMARTly stated. One of the stated. Both short-term and
(Specific, (lacking at least 2 out of 5 objectives (either short or long-term objectives are not
Measurable, Attainable, parameters) of a SMARTly long-term) is not related to the related to the
Realistic, Time-bound: 5 stated objective.) nursing diagnosis nursing diagnosis
Assigned parameters). All objectives are clearly related
Weight: The objectives are clearly to the nursing diagnosis.
3 Points related to the nursing diagnosis.
0 Point
2.25 Points 1.5 Points 0.75 Point
3 Points
Nursing All interventions are completely Majority of identified There is an adequate number Majority of the interventions are None is
Interventions identified and are appropriate Interventions are appropriate to of appropriately identified irrelevant to the nursing identified
to address the identified address the nursing problem interventions to address the problem and NO intervention
nursing problem, easily linked and to the attainment of the problem and to the attainment was given to address the
to the planned objectives (short and of the planned objectives (short attainment of the planned
attainment of the planned long term) but the interventions and long term) but the problem objectives (short and long term)
objectives (short and long term) are not clustered appropriately lies with improper clustering (even if with proper clustering of
Assigned and are clustered accordingly OR some interventions show and lack of relevance of other interventions) failing to address
Weight: (Independent, Dependent and lack of relevance to the nursing interventions to the nursing the nursing problem.
4 Points Interdependent/ collaborative). problem. problem.
0 point
4 Points 3 Points 1 Point
2 Points
Rationale The rationale provides a Majority of the nursing Most of the nursing The rationale fails to provide None is
comprehensive and complete interventions are well supported interventions have inappropriate justification for all nursing provided
justification for all identified by scientific rationale. or incomplete presentation of interventions.
Assigned nursing interventions. rationale.
Weight:
4 Points 4 Points 3 Points 1 Point 0 point
2 Points
Expected The expected outcomes The expected outcomes are One of the expected outcomes Both expected outcomes are None is
Outcome resemble a SMARTly stated appropriate but show evidence (either short or long term) is not not SMARTly stated. provided
short-term and longterm of minimal lack of parameters of SMARTly stated.
objective with appropriate SMARTly stated objectives
Assigned usage of “shall have.” (atleast 2 out of 5 parameters).
Weight:
3 Points 2.25 Points 1.5 Points 0.75 Point 0 point
3 Points
 Format Shows full compliance on Shows moderate compliance Shows fair compliance on Shows poor compliance on Very poor
Compliance required format (e.g. font, size, on required format (e.g. font, required format (e.g. font, size, required format (e.g. font, size, compliance
spacing, margin) size, spacing, margin) spacing, margin) spacing, margin) on
Assigned required
Weight: format
1 Point 1 point 0.75 point 0.5 point 0.25 point
0 point
Grammar Displays competent grammar Displays minor grammatical Displays noticeable Displays several and major No data
Usage use errors grammatical errors grammatical errors coherence
owing to
grave
Assigned grammatical
Weight: errors
1 Point
1 point 0.75 point 0.5 point 0.25 point
0 point
Timeliness Submits the requirement on Submits the requirement a day Submits the requirement two Submits the requirement three Submits the
time after (2) days after the scheduled (3) requirement
the scheduled submission date submission date after the scheduled submission for more
date than three
(3) days
after the
scheduled
Assigned submission
Weight: date
1 Point

1 point 0.75 point 0.5 point 0.25 point

0 point

Computation Guidelines:

1. There are ten (10) criteria on this rubric. Each criterion carries a specific weight reflective of its relative importance to the other
criteria.
2. Similarly, there is a pre-assigned weight or point on each category (e.g. exemplary, developing) of a given criterion. You CANNOT
assign a score that is between categories.
3. The highest possible score on this activity is 30 points.
NCP Rubric prepared By:
Alfredo Z. Feliciano, RN, PhD
Joan Russel D. Feliciano, RN, MN
Faculty, College of Nursing

Reviewed by:

Angela P. Apostol, RN, MN

Level III RLE Coordinator, College of Nursing

Brenda B. Policarpio, RN, RM, MN

Level II RLE Coordinator, College of Nursing

Doroteo S. Dizon, RN, MAN

Research Coordinator, College of Nursing

Approved by:

Zenaida S. Fernandez, RN, PhD

Dean, College of Nursing