Recertification question

[UpdogRN]

Hello out there. I was wondering if I could get your input on a recertification issue I'm having. I am clear on when a patient clearly requires continued care you naturally will recert the pt. However, has anyone else sometimes found that although you are the nurse assessing the pt and know what their status is, you are still gently pressured to keep the patient? I would never discharge a patient that still required home care services, but I have one or two that I feel have met the goals of their treatment plan and could be discharged. I love educating my patients, but in these cases I really feel that it would be redundant and unnecessary.

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

If you feel you have done all you can and there are no changes, then discharge them. If you continue and you arent doing anything or working toward goals, you will not be within Medicare guidelines and risk getting in trouble. My agency never pressures us to keep them if we dont feel we should, thank God. Actually they do the opposite, they encourage a discharge when needed. Do you case manage?

[4evernrs]

We generally make recert or discharge determinations in case conferences with all involved disciplines near the end of the certification period. As a manager, I'm proud to say that I do not pressure my staff to keep patients on unnecessarily. I loathe the agencies that are sucking the life out of the system via fraudulent practices....don't get me started, LOL!