Biomaterial Database

Discharge planning: best practice in transitions of care. 2016

Candice Pellett

Queen's Nurse The Queen's Nursing Institute.

This article provides an overview of a project undertaken by the Queen's Nursing Institute (QNI) and funded by The Department of Health, to identify the barriers and challenges that prevent effective discharge from hospital to home. Unnecessary delays in discharging patients from hospital to home is an ongoing problem and for older people this can lead to worse health outcomes, which can increase their long-term care needs. Findings from the project illustrates that while there are challenges in achieving excellent practice in the transfer of a patient's care from hospital to home, there is a significant willingness and commitment from nurses based both in the community and hospital to improve the patient experience. Key recommendations are cited in the article that will enhance an improved discharge experience for patients, carers and their families.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009726	Nurses	Professionals qualified by graduation from an accredited school of nursing and by passage of a national licensing examination to practice nursing. They provide services to patients requiring assistance in recovering or maintaining their physical or mental health.	Nursing Personnel,Personnel, Nursing,Registered Nurses,Nurse,Nurse, Registered,Nurses, Registered,Registered Nurse
D010351	Patient Discharge	The administrative process of discharging the patient, alive or dead, from hospitals or other health facilities.	Discharge Planning,Discharge Plannings,Discharge, Patient,Discharges, Patient,Patient Discharges,Planning, Discharge,Plannings, Discharge
D010360	Patient Transfer	Interfacility or intrahospital transfer of patients. Intrahospital transfer is usually to obtain a specific kind of care and interfacility transfer is usually for economic reasons as well as for the type of care provided.	Patient Dumping,Care Transition,Health Care Transition,Patient Transition,Patient Turfing,Transition of Care,Care Transition, Health,Care Transitions,Care Transitions, Health,Dumping, Patient,Health Care Transitions,Patient Transfers,Patient Transitions,Patient Turfings,Transfer, Patient,Transfers, Patient,Transition, Care,Transition, Health Care,Transition, Patient,Transitions, Care,Transitions, Health Care,Transitions, Patient,Turfing, Patient,Turfings, Patient
D012017	Referral and Consultation	The practice of sending a patient to another program or practitioner for services or advice which the referring source is not prepared to provide.	Consultation,Gatekeepers, Health Service,Hospital Referral,Second Opinion,Consultation and Referral,Health Service Gatekeepers,Hospital Referrals,Referral,Referral, Hospital,Referrals, Hospital,Consultations,Gatekeeper, Health Service,Health Service Gatekeeper,Opinion, Second,Opinions, Second,Referrals,Second Opinions
D003152	Community Health Nursing	General and comprehensive nursing practice directed to individuals, families, or groups as it relates to and contributes to the health of a population or community. This is not an official program of a Public Health Department.	Nursing, Community Health
D004389	Durable Medical Equipment	Devices which are very resistant to wear and may be used over a long period of time. They include items such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, artificial limbs, etc.	Equipment, Medical, Durable,Equipment, Durable Medical,Medical Equipment, Durable
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D000369	Aged, 80 and over	Persons 80 years of age and older.	Oldest Old
D012947	Social Work	The use of community resources, individual case work, or group work to promote the adaptive capacities of individuals in relation to their social and economic environments. It includes social service agencies.	Service, Social,Social Intervention,Social Service,Social Service Intervention,Social Work Intervention,Intervention, Social,Intervention, Social Service,Intervention, Social Work,Interventions, Social Work,Service Intervention, Social,Services, Social,Social Interventions,Social Service Interventions,Social Services,Social Work Interventions,Work Intervention, Social