"Terminal objectives" for practical nursing students refers to the education and skills that will be covered during the nursing program. These must be mastered before a nursing student graduates from the nursing program and will be required before she can practice as a qualified practical nurse.
Every nursing student graduate is expected to be able to identify and assess basic health conditions and issues. Assessment means to collect subjective data in an accurate way and report it appropriately, including recording it in the medical chart. Assessment occurs when the practical nurse observes the patient's condition or a change in the condition and reports any deviations in what is a normal health status.
Graduate practical nurses are expected to be able to identify health care priorities for patients and set realistic short- and long-term goals for them. To set goals for any patient, the graduate practical nurse is expected to consult with other health care professionals in the development of a patient care plan and goals.
The graduate practical nurse is expected to implement the patient care plan that has been developed and continue to assess the patient's response to the care. Her assessment of the care is to be recorded in the patient's medical chart along with the patient's progress and she is to communicate with members of the health care team appropriately. All care by the graduate practical nurse is done under the supervision of a registered professional nurse.
It is expected that the graduate practical nurse will participate in the evaluation of the patient care plan. She will monitor the patient's response to any changes in the patient care plan and document those responses appropriately. The graduate practical nurse will contribute to the evaluation and modification of the patient care plan as needed.
The terminal objectives for practical nursing students also include the expectation of practicing nursing within the legal boundaries and taking responsibility for her actions. It is expected that each graduate practical nurse will pursue her nursing license and obtain a position in the nursing field.