Letter to the editor. In Defence of Care Plans. I am responding to the article in the March 1999 edition by Kathy Holloway titled: The nursing care plan - fact or fantasy?   I am a new graduate doing casual agency work. I face clients each shift that I know absolutely nothing about except what is told in handover. If one of the clients ask a question, I doubt I will know the answer, especially if it is associated with their care.   I have found nursing care plans so helpful. I can see at the beginning of the shift the basic things that should be done to each particular client. For example, on an afternoon shift - do they have afternoon showers? Will they require pressure area care help or encouragement? Do I need to do a would dressing? and many more questions can be answered by looking at the care plan.   This of course does not mean that conditions may change, every nurse knows that a shift rarely goes to plan, creativity and adaptation is always needed.   Thank-you for reading this. I just wanted to express how grateful I am, as a new graduate going to a different environment every shift, to care plans that can give me a guide to nursing care/treatment. I hope that if nursing care plans are ever disregarded, something else is put into place to help nurses such as me.   Bronwyn Clark Registered Nurse (j_vonhellens@hotmail.com.au)