Discharge Planning Following the Seven Key Principles
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Introduction
Using the seven key principles of the hospital discharge process devised by the Department of Health (DH, 2003), this case study will critically analyse the process of an elderly patient who was discharged from a local acute trust. It begins by providing a definition of discharge planning, before providing a brief biography of the patient, including a rationale of why this patient was selected, details of her past medical history, reason for current admission, any issues raised and details of any care provided. Throughout this case study, in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2008) and the Data Protection Act (1998), the patient shall be referred to as Mrs. Blue to maintain anonymity. Although the case study will largely focus on how the discharge affected and impacted on Mrs. Blues outcomes, it will also include some of the issues highlighted in the current literature surrounding the discharge process. Included will be a summary and any additional points will be raised. Finally it will draw closure to the case study by concluding the main themes and finishing with a final suggestion to achieve optimal results when discharging patients.
Definition
According to Wats & Gardner (2005) discharge planning is defined as ‘an on-going process that facilitates the discharge of the patient to the appropriate level of care. It involves a multidisciplinary assessment of patient/family needs and co-ordination of care, services and referrals’ (pg. 176).
Biography
The rationale for selecting Mrs. Blue was to highlight how easily it is for patients to experience a delay in hospital discharge. Mrs. Blue was an elderly lady who presented into a local medical assessment unit having sustained a recent fall whilst at home. She lived alone in a bungalow with the support of carers four times a day. She did have a friend who visited daily, but had no other family or friends. Her medical history comprised of short-term memory loss,
Introduction
Using the seven key principles of the hospital discharge process devised by the Department of Health (DH, 2003), this case study will critically analyse the process of an elderly patient who was discharged from a local acute trust. It begins by providing a definition of discharge planning, before providing a brief biography of the patient, including a rationale of why this patient was selected, details of her past medical history, reason for current admission, any issues raised and details of any care provided. Throughout this case study, in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2008) and the Data Protection Act (1998), the patient shall be referred to as Mrs. Blue to maintain anonymity. Although the case study will largely focus on how the discharge affected and impacted on Mrs. Blues outcomes, it will also include some of the issues highlighted in the current literature surrounding the discharge process. Included will be a summary and any additional points will be raised. Finally it will draw closure to the case study by concluding the main themes and finishing with a final suggestion to achieve optimal results when discharging patients.
Definition
According to Wats & Gardner (2005) discharge planning is defined as ‘an on-going process that facilitates the discharge of the patient to the appropriate level of care. It involves a multidisciplinary assessment of patient/family needs and co-ordination of care, services and referrals’ (pg. 176).
Biography
The rationale for selecting Mrs. Blue was to highlight how easily it is for patients to experience a delay in hospital discharge. Mrs. Blue was an elderly lady who presented into a local medical assessment unit having sustained a recent fall whilst at home. She lived alone in a bungalow with the support of carers four times a day. She did have a friend who visited daily, but had no other family or friends. Her medical history comprised of short-term memory loss,