I want to thank LaDuke for writing (and AJN for printing) a view of nursing care plans that I've been expressing for 20 years.

At my facility there is a renewed interest in these archaic care plans, which waste precious nursing time. The only nurses who favor them, I've found, are those who've never actually used them. None of the bedside nurses I've spoken with said the care plans were helpful in guiding decision making.

The only time I found them helpful was when I was responsible for assessing new RNs' critical care skills during orientation. They were also useful years ago for home care reimbursement documentation purposes, but they rarely helped guide my practice.

Glenn Marks, BSN, RN

Cottonwood, AZ

Section Description

AJNwelcomes letters to the editor regarding recently published articles, although critiques of original research may be submitted at any time. Submissions must be typed, contain fewer than 300 words, and list the correspondent's name, address, and phone number or e-mail address; include no more than three references for any statistics or studies cited. Letters will be edited for length, clarity, and accuracy. Submission of a letter will constitute the author's permission to publish it, although it doesn't guarantee publication. Letters become the property of AJN and may be published in all media. Send letters to AJN Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 333 Seventh Avenue, 19th Floor New York, NY 10001 [email protected] (212) 886-1206 (fax)