The nurse is developing a plan of care (POC) for a client who reports frequent urination and who is newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Which outcome should the nurse include in the POC for this client? Reference Range: Glycosylated hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) [Good diabetic control: less than 7.0%]

A. The client will express acceptance of their newly diagnosed health status: While psychosocial adjustment is important, it is a subjective outcome and does not directly measure the physiological control of diabetes. It is more appropriate as a supportive goal rather than a primary measurable outcome. B. The client's family will state signs and symptoms about the disease: Educating the family is valuable for support and early detection of complications, but it is an indirect measure of the client’s health outcomes and does not reflect the effectiveness of diabetes management. C. The nurse will monitor the client's skin condition for color changes: Skin assessment is part of routine nursing care to identify complications such as poor circulation or infections, but it is a monitoring activity, not a measurable outcome related to diabetes control. D. The client's HbA1C will be less than 7% in 3 months: Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) provides an objective measure of average blood glucose over the previous 2–3 months. Setting a goal for HbA1C <7% is evidence-based, measurable, and directly linked to effective diabetes management, making it the most appropriate outcome to include in the plan of care.