Basic Nursing & General Care Plans: 20 Nursing Care Plans
Foundational plans that apply across almost every clinical setting. Every plan below follows the ADPIE format — assessment cues, priority nursing diagnoses, measurable goals, interventions with rationales and patient teaching.
Quick answer
Basic Nursing & General Care Plans cover 20 conditions, most commonly diagnosed with fatigue, risk for falls, risk for injury, acute pain. Use each plan for clinical paperwork, ATI and NCLEX-style review, and bedside prioritization.
Most common nursing diagnoses in basic nursing & general care plans
All basic nursing & general care plans nursing care plans
Activity Intolerance & Generalized Weakness Nursing Care Plan
Insufficient energy to complete required activity; care focuses on paced activity, vitals response and progressive conditioning.
Nursing diagnoses: Activity intolerance, Fatigue, Risk for falls
5 intervention sets · 6 goals · 7 teaching points
Read the care planAcute Confusion (Delirium) Nursing Care Plan
Sudden, fluctuating change in attention and cognition, usually reversible once the trigger (infection, hypoxia, drugs, electrolytes) is corrected.
Nursing diagnoses: Acute confusion, Risk for injury, Disturbed sleep pattern
7 intervention sets · 6 goals · 7 teaching points
Read the care planAcute Pain & Pain Management Nursing Care Plan
Short-lived pain from injury, surgery or disease; managed with timed assessment, multimodal analgesia and non-drug comfort measures.
Nursing diagnoses: Acute pain, Impaired comfort, Anxiety
6 intervention sets · 5 goals · 7 teaching points
Read the care planCancer (Oncology Nursing) Nursing Care Plan
Supportive care across diagnosis, chemotherapy, radiation and survivorship, with heavy focus on symptom and infection control.
Nursing diagnoses: Risk for infection, Imbalanced nutrition, Fatigue, Anticipatory grieving
8 intervention sets · 8 goals · 8 teaching points
Read the care planCaregiver Role Strain Nursing Care Plan
Physical, emotional and financial burden on family caregivers; interventions build respite, teaching and community support.
Nursing diagnoses: Caregiver role strain, Interrupted family processes, Ineffective coping
5 intervention sets · 6 goals · 7 teaching points
Read the care planChronic Confusion (Dementia) Nursing Care Plan
Progressive, irreversible cognitive decline; the plan protects safety, orientation, routine and dignity.
Nursing diagnoses: Chronic confusion, Self-care deficit, Risk for injury, Impaired verbal communication
4 intervention sets · 5 goals · 5 teaching points
Read the care planEnd-of-Life / Hospice & Palliative Care Nursing Care Plan
Comfort-focused care that manages pain, dyspnea and distress while supporting the family through dying and bereavement.
Nursing diagnoses: Death anxiety, Acute pain, Grieving, Spiritual distress
5 intervention sets · 6 goals · 8 teaching points
Read the care planFall Risk & Fall Prevention Nursing Care Plan
Screening and environmental control for patients with gait, cognition, vision or medication risk factors.
Nursing diagnoses: Risk for falls, Impaired physical mobility, Deficient knowledge
5 intervention sets · 5 goals · 8 teaching points
Read the care planFatigue & Lethargy Nursing Care Plan
Persistent exhaustion not relieved by rest; care balances energy conservation with activity and treats reversible causes.
Nursing diagnoses: Fatigue, Activity intolerance, Ineffective coping
3 intervention sets · 4 goals · 4 teaching points
Read the care planGeriatric Nursing (Older Adult) Nursing Care Plan
Age-related changes in sensory, cognitive, skin and mobility status, plus polypharmacy and safety planning.
Nursing diagnoses: Risk for falls, Impaired skin integrity, Social isolation, Self-care deficit
3 intervention sets · 4 goals · 5 teaching points
Read the care planGrieving & Loss Nursing Care Plan
Normal and complicated grief responses following loss; care validates feelings and mobilizes support.
Nursing diagnoses: Grieving, Complicated grieving, Hopelessness
3 intervention sets · 4 goals · 4 teaching points
Read the care planHyperthermia (Fever) Nursing Care Plan
Elevated core temperature from infection, heat exposure or drug reaction; treated with cooling, fluids and cause-directed therapy.
Nursing diagnoses: Hyperthermia, Deficient fluid volume, Risk for imbalanced body temperature
3 intervention sets · 4 goals · 4 teaching points
Read the care planHypothermia & Cold Injuries Nursing Care Plan
Core temperature below 35 °C from exposure, sepsis or surgery; rewarming is gradual and monitored for arrhythmias.
Nursing diagnoses: Hypothermia, Ineffective tissue perfusion, Risk for injury
3 intervention sets · 4 goals · 4 teaching points
Read the care planImpaired Swallowing (Dysphagia) Nursing Care Plan
Difficulty moving food safely from mouth to stomach; aspiration precautions and texture modification are central.
Nursing diagnoses: Impaired swallowing, Risk for aspiration, Imbalanced nutrition
3 intervention sets · 4 goals · 4 teaching points
Read the care planInsomnia & Sleep Deprivation Nursing Care Plan
Difficulty falling or staying asleep affecting daytime function; sleep hygiene and environment come before hypnotics.
Nursing diagnoses: Insomnia, Sleep deprivation, Fatigue
3 intervention sets · 4 goals · 4 teaching points
Read the care planProlonged Bed Rest & Immobility Nursing Care Plan
Prevention of the complications of immobility: skin breakdown, VTE, atelectasis, constipation and deconditioning.
Nursing diagnoses: Impaired physical mobility, Risk for impaired skin integrity, Constipation, Risk for disuse syndrome
6 intervention sets · 6 goals · 8 teaching points
Read the care planRisk for Injury & Patient Safety Nursing Care Plan
Identifies internal and external hazards and hardwires safety checks, alarms and patient teaching.
Nursing diagnoses: Risk for injury, Deficient knowledge, Risk for falls
5 intervention sets · 5 goals · 8 teaching points
Read the care planSelf-Care Deficit & ADLs Nursing Care Plan
Inability to perform bathing, dressing, feeding or toileting independently; care promotes maximal independence.
Nursing diagnoses: Bathing self-care deficit, Dressing self-care deficit, Feeding self-care deficit
6 intervention sets · 5 goals · 8 teaching points
Read the care planSystemic Lupus Erythematosus Nursing Care Plan
Autoimmune multi-system inflammation with flares; focus on fatigue, skin, renal function and infection risk from immunosuppression.
Nursing diagnoses: Fatigue, Acute pain, Impaired skin integrity, Risk for infection
3 intervention sets · 4 goals · 4 teaching points
Read the care planTotal Parenteral Nutrition Nursing Care Plan
IV nutrition through a central line; nursing centers on glucose control, line sepsis prevention and fluid balance.
Nursing diagnoses: Risk for infection, Risk for unstable blood glucose, Imbalanced nutrition
3 intervention sets · 4 goals · 4 teaching points
Read the care planNursing priorities across these plans
- Activity Intolerance & Generalized Weakness: Establish the patient's baseline vital signs and symptom response before and during activity.
- Acute Confusion (Delirium): Recognize the change early and rule out life-threatening causes such as hypoxia and hypoglycemia.
- Acute Pain & Pain Management: Believe and quantify the pain with a consistent, developmentally appropriate tool.
- Cancer (Oncology Nursing): Prevent and rapidly detect infection during myelosuppression.
- Caregiver Role Strain: Screen caregivers directly for signs of physical and emotional strain rather than assuming they will disclose it.
- Chronic Confusion (Dementia): Establish and document the person's baseline cognition and functional ability.
- End-of-Life / Hospice & Palliative Care: Relieve pain and dyspnea aggressively and continuously.
- Fall Risk & Fall Prevention: Identify and stratify individual fall risk using a validated tool.
Exams that test this content
Common questions
What are the most common nursing diagnoses in Basic & General care plans?
The nursing diagnoses that repeat most often across our 20 basic & general care plans are: Fatigue; Risk for falls; Risk for injury; Acute pain; Imbalanced nutrition; Risk for infection.
Which basic & general nursing care plans should a student know?
Start with Activity Intolerance & Generalized Weakness, Acute Confusion (Delirium), Acute Pain & Pain Management, Cancer (Oncology Nursing), Caregiver Role Strain, Chronic Confusion (Dementia), End-of-Life / Hospice & Palliative Care, Fall Risk & Fall Prevention. Each plan lists assessment cues, priority diagnoses, measurable goals, interventions with rationales and patient teaching.
How many basic & general care plans are in this library?
20 care plans, all free to read and written in the ADPIE format used in nursing school and on ATI and NCLEX-style questions.