Short-term goals are developed from which part of the diagnostic statement?

• A. Etiology
• B. Defining characteristics
• C. Problem portion
• D. Plan

Answer: (C)

Short-term goals come from the problem portion of the nursing diagnostic statement. In the nursing process, a diagnostic statement identifies what the patient’s issue is (the problem), what caused it (etiology), and how it presents (defining characteristics). When planning care, you set outcomes that directly address that problem—the goals describe observable, measurable changes you'd like to see within a short time frame. For example, if the problem is acute pain related to a surgical incision, an appropriate short-term goal would be for the patient to report a pain level of a specific target (such as 3/10 or less) within a defined period, and with expected improvements during movement or rest. The etiology explains why the problem exists and guides interventions to address the cause, but it isn’t the target of the goals. Defining characteristics are the signs and symptoms that confirm the problem’s presence and severity, used to assess progress rather than to articulate the goals themselves. The plan contains the nursing actions intended to achieve the goals, not the goals themselves.