RN discharge advocate?

[Good Morning, Gil]

Has anyone on here held this position or worked with one? I have the experience required for this position, well, barely (been an RN for 2 years), and was just curious what it entailed. I know it's a non-bedside position that deals with helping to coordinate discharges between both the RN and the patient. I have never worked with a discharge advocate as I have always worked nights, and the ICU rarely discharges to home.

Any info would be helpful! Thanks!

[Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN]

Is this the same thing as a discharge planner, or is it something entirely different?

I work with discharge planners frequently, as I am involved with providing outpatient services. One of the common experiences my patients complain about is lack of information during the course of their hospital stay, all the way through the discharge process. It seems to them that information is extremely fragmented, like nobody talks to each other or knows what the other is doing. They get different information from different people. On discharge, they often feel rushed out the door with little information about what happens next. They don't understand their new medications, have no dressing supplies for the first day or two, don't know that they're supposed to call and make an appointment with their doctor, and many other things. Even if they get great care, they still generally complain about this.

If a discharge advocate's job is to help bridge that gap so that the patient leaves the hospital with a clear understanding of these things, then I think it sounds like a great job!

[Good Morning, Gil]

It probably is just a different name for the same job, discharge planner. The whole goal is to prevent them from coming back to the hospital (if possible), right? Thanks for the info! I try to educate in the ICU, too (never too early, right?), but there are times, obviously, where that's not applicable, but info can still be given to the family in that case, if they're involved.

[Good Morning, Gil]

I have a bachelor's, but not in nursing, so I can't apply for it. I may just go back for my BSN soon, only a handful of courses. I was trying to avoid this so I could just go straight for the MSN, cheaper, less time involved, but it limits my option for advanced study (as to where I can study for my FNP later, too). Thanks for the info again!