Discharge times

[mnbrn]

Does your unit have goals on what time your discharges should be done by? And what are they? Of course you have to work with your pt's needs and, but do you have a guide?

[GGT1]

Yes, 3pm is the goal discharge time.

[This Jenn RN]

We too try to discharge by 3 pm. Most are actually before noon though.

[JeneraterRN]

We do not have a discharge time set usually. We are in a very rural location, and there are times when family members have to drive a few hours to pick up the patient. We generally do have most of them out by 11 am.

[rn/writer, RN]

The goal where I work is 1 pm, although your mileage may vary with usage.

A straight foward vag-delivery mom and baby with no complications (pain issues, pp hemorrhage, bilirubin problems, blood cultures, antibiotics, etc.) with breastfeeding going well might want to leave at 0900. Meanwhile, the section mom and kiddo who still haven't quite gotten the hang of a successful latch and want another visit from the LC might stay till 3 pm.

Then of course, you have things like transportation difficulties ("my boyfriend doesn't get off work until five o'clock" or "my mom has to be to work by ten-thirty"), completing the 48 hours for cultures (the time will be up at seven fifteen this evening, ma'am), social work concerns (providing a Pack and Play, securing a place at a shelter for a homeless mom) and the fact that there might be a mass exodus (22 discharges in one day), and you can see there are a lot of variables.

So, I would say our goal time is 1 pm, give or take about ten hours.

[germanshep]

11am is recommended on the admission paperwork and bathroom door. However, sometimes only 1 of the 2 doctors makes rounds; therefore, we need to call for a d/c order which can extend the time. The final time is 2359. Sometimes this can be difficult! The parents are sooo anxious to go (and remind me every time I am in the room) until the final time comes close, then they barely make it out of the door! Sometimes I worry about the young parents driving at night with a new infant.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

The hospitals around here rarely discharge before 3 or 4 pm so by the time the poor elder gets to the rehab facility, it's close to 5 or 6....the absolute worst time for any one with dementia to be transferred.

[jujuseah, RN]

Our official discharge timing is about 1-2pm. I try to get them out before 1pm so that I don't have to pass over. But sometimes the house officers are seriously slow in discharging pts and causing the ED to be flooded with patients who are waiting for beds. We have really bad bed crunches.