Authors (including presenting author) :
Wong LM, Tong YC, Yau PY, Ng ML, Chan MK, Ng LK
Affiliation :
Department of Surgery, Ruttonjee & Tang Siu Kin Hospital
Introduction :
Patient discharge procedure is always a challenging task for ward nurses. As increasing demand of service need of patients and new services developed in hospital in recent years, which make discharge procedure much complex and time-consuming. There are episodes of missing appointments and incomplete discharge procedures spotted in our department recently. To ensure the completeness and effectiveness of the discharge procedures, “Discharge Care-plan” were established & revised. Using the “discharge care-plan” proactively to promote planning, communication & efficiency. Moreover, the care-plan & ward steward as gatekeeper facilitate and safeguard the discharge procedures’ completeness.
Objectives :
1. To ensure patient’s needs are identified in the discharge process 2. To provide a standardize & systematic discharge process for case nurses 3. To enhance the patient safety by improving the completeness using the “discharge care-plan in the discharge process 4. To enhance the communication between different parties & colleague in the discharge process 5. To empower the ward steward in the discharge process to promote completeness & follow-up of documents
Methodology :
1. A task force group was formed to review the current discharge process. Patient notes and records were reviewed for sampling survey. (Sept 2019) 2. The discharge process & the “Discharge Care-plan” was revised. “Discharge reminders” & “Education pamphlets” were also designed. (Sept 2019) 3. Before implementation, education was given to frontline staff for the use of “Discharge care-plan” & relevant documents. (Oct 2019) 4. Staffs’ opinion survey on the care-plan was designed & distributed after 3 months’ trial. (Oct-Dec 2019) 5. Records of the care-plan & patient’s notes were collected and the task force group reviewed the completeness & compliance of frontline staff. (Dec 2019) 6. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated. (Jan 2020)
Result & Outcome :
1. Staffs’ opinion (Respondent rate: 100%) thinks the care-plan was useful, comprehensive and ensure completeness, and easy to use 2. Staffs’ opinion: 95% would like to continue to use the care-plan 3. Staff compliance rate: using the care-plan: 100%; completeness: 95%. Reviewed files: total 60. 4. Completeness of nursing procedures & documentation: before implementation VS after implementation of care-plan: +15% (80% to 95%)
