Discharge planning, social work, and legal concerns Flashcards
What are the two most important things to consider in determining if a patient can be discharged in terms of general safety?
- Functional capacity (ADLs)
- Living situation
List the major locations to which a patient can be discharged.
Home
Shelter
Outpatient rehab
Inpatient rehab
Nursing home
LTAC facility
When a patient is discharged home, what are some possible services that may be provided?
- Outpatient PT/OT
- DME
- Home Health
- Hospice
What services can be provided for patients with Home Health?
- Medication administration (RNs, PCTs)
- Wound care (RNs, MAs)
- PT/OT
- IV care (<3 infusions per day)
What must be ordered to see if a hospital patient qualifies for Home Health and to set up the services for discharge?
A case management consult
A patient in fairly good health who has nowhere to go can be discharged to where?
- The street
- A shelter
(per the patient’s preference)
True/False.
In the inpatient setting, it is our responsibility to prepare safe, optimized discharges for patients, but it is not our responsibility to take care of every little detail and “coddle” the patients.
True.
It is acceptable to give patients some responsibility in setting up outpatient follow-up, securing their medications, etc.
But if you have time and energy or expect the patient will fail, it is better to provide more assistance.
True/False.
The advent of quality control and national standards has made most shelters and nursing homes into high-quality, fairly comparable locations.
False.
They are highly variable in quality.
For any stable, hospitalized patient with significant substance abuse issues, what can be offered upon discharge?
Rehabilitation services
(inpatient or outpatient)
When does a patient qualify for admission to a nursing home?
When they cannot perform their ADLs alone or with the assistance of family/friends
When discharging a patient to a nursing home, what are the two broad classifications of care available?
- Custodial
- SNF
What care is provided in a custodial nursing home setting?
And a SNF setting?
Custodial: assistance in meeting ADLs
SNF: similar to Home Health needs
How much rehabilitation is typically offered in a nursing home providing SNF care?
~2 hours/day
True/False.
Both custodial and SNF care are both typically covered by insurance in the nursing home setting.
False.
Custodial typically is not.
SNF typically is.
True/False.
If a nursing home patient needs frequent IV antibiotics, then they should be discharged to SNF care.
False.
These patients should go to an LTAC facility.
Patients with what indications should be discharged to an LTAC facility?
- Frequent antibiotics
- Ostomy care
- Assisted ventilation
- Etc.
A post-stroke patient needs intense rehabilitation. Where should they be sent?
Inpatient rehabilitation (IPR)
What is the general indication for discharge to inpatient rehabilitation?
Aggressive care for 1-2 weeks to help patients recover their ADLs
- Patients post-CVA, post-trauma, with critical illness myopathy, etc.