Discharge phone calls....

Jul 11, 2009 02:17 AM

by mwboswell

Premium Member

Would like to hear from Emergency Department nurses who are involved personally in doing "discharge phone calls" to their patients.

I would like to know how it's going.
Specifically:
1) What was the hardest thing about getting started?
2) What do you feel are positive outcomes of doing this?

Thanks!

**traumaRUs** · Jul 11, 2009, 08:48 AM

Re: Discharge phone calls....

I'm an APN in a community ER (37,000 visits/year). Call backs are done only on patients where the provider feels there is a need: ie someone who is pretty sick but doesn't need to be admitted but provider wants to ensure the pt is doing okay the next day. There are no routinely scheduled call backs.

Worked for 10 years in level one trauma center (65,000 visits/year) and no callbacks there either unless directed by provider.

Altra · Jul 11, 2009, 01:05 PM

Re: Discharge phone calls....

This community ER (41,000/yr) only does callbacks as described by TraumaRUs above ... if the patient really warrants being checked up on 24-48 hrs. later, or to communicate lab studies such as wound cultures that were not resulted before discharge. Considering that this ER discharges 80% of patients seen, calling everyone would be unmanageable.

New To Site	Need Help	Quick Links
Create An Account General Site Map allnurses.com Journals Terms Of Service Privacy Policy Testimonials Meet Our Staff Advertising Information	Information Center & FAQ Boards of Nursing How-To Video Tutorials Did you forget your password? Compare Membership Contact allnurses.com Text Version Mark All Sections As Read	United States Nursing International Nursing Nursing Specialty Advanced Practice Nursing Critical Care Nursing Nursing Specialties Get In Touch... Find Us On Facebook Follow Us On Twitter

Discharge phone calls....

Discharge phone calls....

Nursing News

With...

Less regular sleep for ICU nurses may lead to errors

Nurse sends unused medical supplies to needy nations

Premature Births Are Fueling Higher Rates of Infant...

MRSA Strain Linked to High Death Rates

RI hospital fined $150,000 in 5th wrong-site surgery since...

Nursing: One of the 6 Thriving Jobs that are Here to Stay???

Dad Fights Hospital to Keep Baby on Life Support

A nurse can dream...about awesome nursing

California Nursing Situation - CINHC's plan to help New...

Available Topics (tags)