Models of Discharge Care in Magnet® Hospitals

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Healthcare Management
• Patient Care Quality

Background:

• Intensified national focus on improving patient discharge transitions and reducing hospital readmissions.
• Discharge preparation is a critical hospital function, but operational models are sparsely reported.
• Magnet® hospitals are recognized for nursing excellence and innovation in patient care delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the operationalization of the discharge preparation process within Magnet® hospitals.
• To identify common practices and variations in discharge planning among high-performing nursing units.
• To assess the adoption of national readmission reduction initiatives in Magnet® settings.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, web-based survey was conducted.
• Data were collected from 32 Magnet® hospitals, encompassing 64 nursing units.
• Participants were part of the Readiness Evaluation and Discharge Interventions study.

Main Results:

• Most hospitals utilize one or more national readmission reduction strategies.
• Registered nurse (RN) case managers and discharging RNs predominantly lead discharge preparation.
• While daily discharge rounds are common, patient and family inclusion is less frequent; follow-up calls primarily gauge satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• Magnet® hospitals exhibit diverse approaches to operationalizing discharge preparation.
• The implementation of recommended practices from national discharge initiatives is inconsistent.
• Registered nurses (RNs) are pivotal in the discharge planning, coordination, and patient education processes.