Nurse-initiated and criteria-led discharge from hospital for children and young people

The readiness of a child or young person for discharge includes patient safety, the family's ability to care for the child at home and the ongoing treatment they will need, which has a direct influence on their health outcomes and future readmissions to hospital. There are no standard criteria for discharge practice and registered nurses have reported concerns about their ability to provide education and discharge planning to meet the needs of the patient and their family. A literature review was carried out to ascertain the current discharge principles adhered to in practice and the implemented tools used. The problems faced by registered nurses include ineffective communication, poorly defined role in discharge planning and lack of agreement with the multidisciplinary team. The standardisation of discharge procedures may reduce the risk of readmission and health deterioration of the patient and ensure positive health outcomes, improve family health literacy and continuity of care.