Nursing care plans by condition
Nursing diagnoses, prioritized interventions, and printable PDFs for the most-searched nursing conditions. Built by nurses for nurses on the unit.
- By nurses
- Evidence-based
- Free printable PDFs
What is a nursing care plan?
A nursing care plan is a structured, written document that organizes the assessment, nursing diagnoses, goals, interventions, and evaluation criteria for one patient at a point in time. It is the bedside expression of the nursing process — the framework every RN, LPN, and nursing student is trained to use to make patient care safe, prioritized, and measurable.
On the unit, a care plan answers four questions in order: what is wrong with the patient, what outcomes are we aiming for, which interventions will get us there, and how will we know it worked. In nursing school, students write them as graded assignments; in practice, they live in the EHR, the patient's chart, and increasingly in workflow tools that capture interventions and outcomes as they happen.
The 5 steps of a nursing care plan (ADPIE)
Every nursing care plan on this site is organized around the ADPIE framework — the same nursing process the NCSBN tests on the NCLEX. Each condition page walks through these steps with condition-specific data.
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Assess
Subjective data (patient report, history) plus objective data (vital signs, focused physical exam, labs, imaging). Establishes the baseline.
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Diagnose
Select prioritized nursing diagnoses written in PES format (Problem related to Etiology as evidenced by Signs/symptoms). Reorder as the clinical picture changes.
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Plan
Set short-term (8–24 hr) and long-term (by discharge) SMART goals. Goals must be measurable so evaluation is unambiguous.
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Implement
Carry out interventions: independent (nursing-initiated), dependent (provider-ordered), and collaborative (PT/OT, respiratory, dietary). Document time, response, and any complications.
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Evaluate
Compare patient response against the measurable goals at scheduled intervals. Revise the plan if not progressing or if clinical priorities shift.
Browse nursing care plans by condition
1 care plan publishedMore condition pages publish weekly, check back soon
What's in every NurseBrain care plan
- Prioritized nursing diagnoses in proper PES format (Problem related to Etiology as evidenced by Signs/symptoms) — ordered by what is currently most destabilizing for the patient, not in textbook order.
- Action-rationale interventions grouped by Assess, Care, Teach, and Manage — every intervention paired with the clinical reasoning behind it.
- Measurable expected outcomes with time-bound goals (e.g. SpO2 > 92% within 72 hours), so evaluation is unambiguous.
- Quick-reference appendices: common labs with normal ranges and clinical significance, common medications with mechanism of action and side effects, and an abbreviation key.
- Free printable PDFs formatted for clipboards and rounds — same content, optimized for paper.
- Referenced to current nursing literature (Ackley & Ladwig, AHA/ACC, CDC, ADA, AACN) and clearly disclaimer'd as educational, not a substitute for facility protocols.
Where the NurseBrain Synapse app fits
Care plans are static by nature. Nursing work is not. These care plans help you study, print, and prepare. NurseBrain Synapse helps you apply that workflow during the shift by organizing patient problems, interventions, notes, and handoffs in real time. The care plan is the foundation. The workflow is where it comes to life.
Frequently asked questions
What is a nursing care plan?
A nursing care plan is a structured document that organizes the nursing assessment, prioritized nursing diagnoses, measurable goals, interventions, and evaluation criteria for one patient at a point in time. It is the bedside expression of the nursing process taught in every accredited nursing program and tested on the NCLEX.
What are the 5 components of a nursing care plan?
Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation — the ADPIE framework. Each condition page on this site walks through ADPIE with condition-specific data, prioritized diagnoses, action-rationale interventions, and time-bound outcomes.
Are these nursing care plans free?
Yes. Every condition page on /care-plans/ is free to read, free to download as a printable PDF, and freely usable for nursing school assignments, clinical preparation, and unit reference. Built by nurses for nurses, no signup wall to read.
How do I write a nursing care plan?
Start with a focused assessment, choose the 3–5 nursing diagnoses that best explain the patient's current state (written as Problem related to Etiology as evidenced by Signs/symptoms), set measurable short- and long-term goals, list the interventions you will perform with the rationale for each, then evaluate against the goals at the end of the shift. Every condition page on this site is a worked example of this exact process.
What is the difference between a nursing diagnosis and a medical diagnosis?
A medical diagnosis identifies the disease (e.g. Congestive Heart Failure). A nursing diagnosis identifies the patient's response to that disease that a nurse can independently treat (e.g. Fluid Volume Excess related to compromised regulatory mechanisms as evidenced by 2+ pitting edema and bibasilar crackles). Medical diagnoses change only when the provider revises them; nursing diagnoses are reordered each shift as the patient's condition changes.
Can I use these care plans for nursing school?
Yes — they are written in the format nursing programs accept (PES diagnosis statements, ADPIE structure, action-rationale interventions, measurable outcomes, referenced to nursing literature). Always confirm your school's specific formatting requirements before submitting, and cite this site as a reference rather than copying verbatim.