8.0: Introduction

Figure 8.1 Discharge planning is initiated at the time of admission and continues throughout a patient’s hospital stay. The admission process requires that the healthcare team discuss and agree upon goals for discharge. (credit: “Assisting Grady Hospital” by U.S. Army National Guard Sergeant Jeron Walker/Flickr, Public Domain)

Admission, transfer, and discharge are key events in the healthcare delivery process, and the nurse is most often the frontline healthcare provider in all three of these events. Admission oversees the patient’s entry into the healthcare system. The information learned and rapport developed upon admission are vital to planning a patient’s course of treatment. Transferring a patient involves accurate communication of the patient’s status between healthcare providers. The nurse must be concise and accurate when exchanging information. The patient exits the system upon discharge. It is crucial for the discharging nurse to explain the patient’s medications and follow-up plan, providing further education if necessary. Research shows that the effectiveness of the discharge process increases patient satisfaction and improves quality of life for patients and their families (Carroll, 2007). There is a large potential for serious errors and patient harm to occur due to mistakes made during admission, transfer, and discharge, so it is imperative that these processes are done conscientiously and thoroughly.