What is a nursing care plan rationale?

A nursing care plan rationale is an explanation for the care a nurse intends to provide for a patient. All plans of care include a rationale.

A nursing plan of care establishes a nurse's intended course of treatment for a patient. It is a way to organize and communicate the actions of a nursing staff. A plan of care is typically based on three items: a nursing assessment, a nursing diagnosis based on the assessment and patient goals. A rationale provides the reason for the selected course of care. Rationales are necessary to ensure that the plan of care is based on objective patient data and sound clinical judgement.