RN Nursing · Admissions, Transfers, and Discharge · Practice question
At what point during hospital-based care does planning for discharge begin?
-
Immediately before discharge
-
✓
On admission to the hospital
-
After leaving the hospital
-
After the patient is settled in a room
Answer & explanation
Correct: On admission to the hospital
Discharge planning is a process that begins at the moment a client is admitted to the hospital, not at some later point in the stay. Beginning early allows the care team to identify barriers to a safe discharge — such as limited support systems, financial constraints, need for home equipment, or referrals to rehabilitation or skilled nursing facilities — and address them before the day of discharge. Early planning prevents rushed, incomplete arrangements that can lead to readmissions. Waiting until immediately before discharge, after the client has already left, or simply after the client is settled in a room are all too late to coordinate the multidisciplinary resources that safe transitions of care require. The Joint Commission and evidence-based practice guidelines consistently emphasize that discharge planning is an ongoing process integrated throughout the hospitalization, beginning with the initial nursing assessment on admission.
Practise Admissions, Transfers, and Discharge questions
Work through full question sets with instant rationales, timed exams, and progress tracking.
Start practising freeRelated practice questions
- A nurse is completing the admission paperwork for a patient with a history of heart failure and diabetes. Which of the following actions should the nurse PRIORITIZE to ensure accurate medication reconciliation?
- What documentation is required to identify a patient in the outpatient setting?
- A nurse is caring for a client who has decided to leave the facility against medical advice. After notifying the provider, which of the following actions is appropriate for the nurse to take?
- A nurse is preparing the discharge paperwork for a patient who has undergone surgery. Which component is crucial to include in the discharge instructions to ensure the patient's safety and recovery at home?