SECTION:	H - Clinical 

TITLE:	PATIENT EDUCATION AND DISCHARGE PLANNING 

POLICY #:	6.105 

EFFECTIVE DATE:	05/01/96 

APPROVED BY: 

 

 

 

 

Patient education and discharge planning is initiated prior to admission to the facility and is continuous 

until after discharge. 

 

Early involvement of the patient and family in the education, discharge and home care process will 

greatly reduce anxiety about the surgery and promote a more positive patient outcome. 

 

The facility pre-admission staff are responsible for assessing the patient's perception of the planned 

surgical experience and for any special needs, such as language barriers, emotional barriers, 

communications limitations, physical disease processes such as  hypertension or diabetes, physical 

handicaps, and financial conditions which might influence the patient's choice of care. 

 

Plans for transportation after discharge and destination are discussed with the patient and family. 

Referrals for follow-up care may be made to the primary care physician, to home health care or social 

service agencies upon the order of the physician. Extended Stay care is also available at the facility if 

required upon order of the physician. 

 

Patient teaching is initiated at the time of the pre-admission assessment to determine how to effectively 

educate the individual patient, taking into consideration the cultural and spiritual beliefs, literacy or 

ability to understand instructions and other needs such as those discussed above. 

 

Written patient teaching aids are utilized by the facility staff by mailing to the patient prior to admission 

or reviewing with the patient in the pre-op area, or a combination or both written and verbal teaching 

may be conducted. 

 

Following the procedure, the patient and responsible adult/family are provided written Post-Operative 

Instructions, which are reviewed with them by the Recovery Room nursing personnel. The facets of post-

op instruction information are located in Policy No.6.106 and the sample forms accompanying the policy. 

 

If at any time during the course of care, facility staff are uncomfortable about a patient or family's level 

of understanding, willingness to comply with care instructions or ability to properly continue care after 

discharge, the teaching and discharge planning will be modified to assure understanding and compliance. 

Facility nursing staff will discuss these concerns with the attending physician(s) and the plan of care will 

be modified accordingly. 

 

 

Last Modified by: Beth Allen ON 06126196