The goal of nurses as a profession is not only to be "patient advocates" but also to help the patient learn and acquire the skills necessary to achieve the best level of functioning for the patient. patient based on their current illness. To help a patient reach their optimal level of functioning, the nurse must work with the patient and the interdisciplinary team to create a logical collaborative plan for the patient. By examining Case Study No. 35 on musculoskeletal disorders by Preusser (2008), we can create a critical journey for the patient, SP, a 75-year-old woman with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) admitted to the orthopedic department for a hip fracture. after the fall (p. 183). Because the patient's needs are unique and complex, the nurse must develop a plan with the patient that will include "...assessments, consultations, treatments, lifestyle changes, education about the disease..." in order that the patient receives the most appropriate evidence-based care and has informed decisions made when necessary (Oliver, 2006, p. 28). The goal of the PS nurse is to help prepare the patient for an upcoming procedure and to focus care on the patient by gathering necessary information about the patient. Collaborating with the patient, family members, rehabilitation, medical and surgical team on treatment plans can help us provide appropriate care to the patient using actions and interventions within the framework and standards of nursing practice. This case study by Preusser (2008) involves a 75-year-old female, SP, who fell at home and was admitted to the orthopedics department for an intracapsular hip fracture at the femoral neck (p. 183). Assessment data includes his height: 5'3", weight: 118 pounds, blood pressure...... middle of paper...... National Association of Orthopedic Nurses. (2009). Total joint replacement of the hip. Retrieved from http://www.orthonurse.org/ResearchandPractice/PatientEducation/tabid/490/Default.aspxOliver, S. (2006). Nursing 102 (16), 28-33. Retrieved from http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-practice-clinical-research/benefits-of-patient-pathways-in-rheumatoid-arthritis-care/203268. articleOliver, S. (2009). Understanding the needs of older people with rheumatoid arthritis: the role of the community nurse. Elderly Nursing, 21(9), 30-38.Preusser, B. (2008). 4th ed. Winningham and Preusser's Critical Thinking in Nursing: Medical-Surgical, Pediatric, Maternity, and Psychiatric Case Studies New York: Elsevier/Mosby Inc. Wilkinson, J.M. (2011). 5th ed. The nursing process and critical thinking. Apprentice room.