For a patient scheduled for knee surgery, when does the planning step of the nursing process begin?

• A. After surgery is complete
• B. When the patient is admitted to the hospital
• C. Just before discharge from hospital
• D. When the nurse contacts the patient to schedule surgery

Answer: (D)

Planning in the nursing process is about organizing goals and the steps needed to meet the patient’s needs for upcoming care. In perioperative care, this begins as soon as care is being arranged for the procedure. When the nurse contacts the patient to schedule the knee surgery, that initiates the planning phase by laying out what must be done before, during, and after surgery—such as preoperative tests, consent, medication adjustments, education, and postoperative instructions. This early coordination helps ensure safety and continuity of care.

It isn’t after the surgery is completed, which would fall under evaluation and post-op care, nor is it limited to admission or discharge timing; those phases come later in the process, while the initial planning starts with scheduling and preoperative coordination.