What is the main goal of evaluation in the nursing process?

• A. To document patient age
• B. To prescribe new medications
• C. To schedule follow-up visits
• D. To determine the effectiveness of care and progress toward outcomes

Answer: (D)

Evaluation in the nursing process focuses on whether care achieves the intended outcomes for the patient. It involves measuring progress, reviewing actual results against the expected goals, and judging the effectiveness of the interventions already implemented. This step is ongoing and data-driven: you compare current patient status, responses to treatments, and progress toward goals to decide if the plan is working or if adjustments are needed. For example, if the goal is to lower a patient’s blood pressure to a target range, evaluation would look at current readings, adherence, side effects, and functional status to determine if the target was met and whether the plan should continue as is or be revised.

Documenting patient age is part of initial assessment and data collection, not evaluation. Prescribing new medications and scheduling follow-up visits are actions tied to planning and implementation, not the assessment of how well the care is working.