My group is presenting our project next week on discharge lounges, and our research is done. We were thinking that getting some global/national RN perspective on discharge lounges would be a nice addition to our presentation. So, if you could take a few minutes and answer the questions, it would be really helpful. Thanks.
Does your hospital have a discharge lounge?
Do you as a nurse, use your discharge lounge? Why or why not?
What is the status of patient in the discharge lounge?
What are the services provided by your discharge lounge?
What happens if something emergent happens to the patient?
What are the patients' requirements for admission to the discharge lounge?
How is the discharge lounge staffed?
What do you like or dislike about your discharge lounge?
What do you feel would make your discharge lounge more effective?
If your hospital does not have a discharge lounge, does it have an official policy regarding the discharge of patients, freeing up hospital beds from patients that are awaiting rides or transfers to LTC? How effective do you feel it is? What would be your solution to the discharge issue?
Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Critical Care Nursing.
We have a small one that is attached to our fast track area that was created with the intention that pts just waiting for radiology or simple lab results and discharge, would wait there to open up beds for more fast track pts. However, we didn't care for the lack of privacy to discuss discharge papers and test results, so now it mainly gets used as a separate waiting room for the FT pts to help empty out the ED lobby.
I get that every day- sometimes turning over the whole assignment.
You don't??
Yeah, but didn't realize that these lounges might be staffed separately. In other words, I assumed I would still be responsible for my 3 discharges waiting in limbo plus the new admits plus my other original pts, giving me 8 (or more) pts to keep track of.
Yeah, but didn't realize that these lounges might be staffed separately. In other words, I assumed I would still be responsible for my 3 discharges waiting in limbo plus the new admits plus my other original pts, giving me 8 (or more) pts to keep track of.
Ours isnt staffed seperately. The charge tries to help out, but they usually make her take her own pts too. Beds /floors havent had time to dry from being wiped/washed before a new pt is put in . them . The b/p cuffs are still damp when I put them on. yuck.
Ours isnt staffed seperately. The charge tries to help out, but they usually make her take her own pts too. Beds /floors havent had time to dry from being wiped/washed before a new pt is put in . them . The b/p cuffs are still damp when I put them on. yuck.
Yikes! Nope, still doesn't sound like a good idea (to me) if the nurse continues to be responsible for their original pt load, "lounge" pts & new admits. Our day shift usually maxes at 6 pts. If they all get moved to the dc lounge & then my rooms fill with new admits, I now have 12?
Probably works better than I imagine, but that's just where my mind is going. Our day & evening charges don't take pts usually plus we have ADT nurses to handle the dc paperwork. If the dc pts could be completely handed over to ADT or designated staff, I would be more comfortable with it I think.
Side note- We give each pt their own BP cuff (& charge accordingly). Things like the cuffs & scd wraps get sent for recycling.
Yikes! Nope, still doesn't sound like a good idea (to me) if the nurse continues to be responsible for their original pt load, "lounge" pts & new admits. Our day shift usually maxes at 6 pts. If they all get moved to the dc lounge & then my rooms fill with new admits, I now have 12?
Yikes- that would be bad- we would prob not have that happen as that lounge isnt that big and is actually shared by the neighboring floor. No, I might get one or two initially, but then then the rest might be staggered out for later in the shift- as in others will have rooms that go up with the d/c's. Oh, I forgot, we move pts off the floor to medical floors so we definitly have turned over our whole assnmt. That SUCKS.
Side note- We give each pt their own BP cuff (& charge accordingly). Things like the cuffs & scd wraps get sent for recycling.
That would be nice. funny we are behind the times?( or more like too cheap to buy 1x use cuffs/equipment)
At our facility, patients are laterally transfered to the discharge lounge, where discharge instructions, etc. are completed, freeing up the room on the floor for a new admission.
Apparently, different facilities run their discharge lounges differently. Our is staffed by 2 experienced RN plus 2 or 3 techs. You transfer your patients to their care where the discharge RNs do the discharge education, etc.
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Christy1019, ASN, RN
879 Posts
We have a small one that is attached to our fast track area that was created with the intention that pts just waiting for radiology or simple lab results and discharge, would wait there to open up beds for more fast track pts. However, we didn't care for the lack of privacy to discuss discharge papers and test results, so now it mainly gets used as a separate waiting room for the FT pts to help empty out the ED lobby.