Posted on: February 8, 2023
As Island Health continues towards their goal of increasing capacity in their communities for patients and their families, they present another Winter Surge Tip of the Week.
Timely discharges and discharge planning are essential, especially when hospital admissions are high and beds are in high demand.
Meeting with a client and their family within the first 48 hours of admission is critical in ensuring that the care team, the client and their family have the same understanding of the Estimated Date of Discharge (EDD).
This includes the awareness that the client has been admitted to hospital for a specific issue that requires acute medical care and intervention, and that once treated, cared for and medically stable, they will return home and receive community support if needed.
Early and consistent communication regarding discharge allows the care team to collaborate with the client and family to ensure:
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Early identification of client/family goals and needs.
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Identification of actual or potential barriers to returning home.
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Development of an action plan to address questions/concerns and support discharge.
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Opportunities to highlight the benefits of recovering safely at home with support from community health services.
Consider making good use of the client's bedside whiteboard to allow for continued communication regarding discharge between the client, their family and their care team at any given time. Relevant information can include:
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How EDD is determined.
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Expectations of client and family for discharge.
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What resources can be arranged by the unit.
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Information regarding resource contacts, prescriptions and what to look out for during recovery.
Please review the following resources to aid in Discharge Discussions: