4. PATIENT EDUCATION

a. The patient and/or, when appropriate, his/her significant other(s) are provided with education that can enhance the knowledge, skills, and those behaviors necessary to fully benefit from the health care interventions provided by the organization.

b.     Education is provided to the patient and/or their significant other (s) in areas of identified need by the nursing staff, the Patient Education Departmental staff, and other disciplines. Such instruction and counseling is to be consistent with the responsible medical practitioner’s instructions. Patient/family educational needs, material taught, and patient/family comprehension are to be documented on the Multidisciplinary Patient Education Form

http://www.uams.edu/nursingmanual/Guidlines?GuidlineHHH.htm

c. The nurse responsible for the overall care of the patient facilitates patient education and discharge instructions by:

1. Coordinating patient/family self-care knowledge and patient education into the plan of care, which includes:

• Diagnosis
• Safe and effective use of medication, if any,                       http://www.uams.edu/nursingmanual/Policy/policy-24.htm              
• Safe and effective use of medical equipment, if any
• Instructions regarding pain and managing pain as a part of treatment, as appropriate
• Instruction on potential drug/food interaction and counseling on nutritional intervention & modified diets, if appropriate
• Instruction in rehabilitation techniques to facilitate adaptation to and/or functional independence in the environment
• Access to available community resources
• When and how to obtain further treatment, if needed

2.    Giving individualized written and/or verbal instructions & counseling consistent with the medical team’s plan of care to patients who are discharged to include the areas listed above in #1.

http://www.uams.edu/nursingmanual/Guidelines/GuidelineW.htm [Patient Discharge Form]

3.     Documenting teaching done, as well as patient and/or family understanding of instructions, in the patient record.

http://www.uams.edu/nursingmanual/Guidelines/GuidelineW.htm [MDPEF form]

4.     Completing interagency referral forms when appropriate.

5.     DISCHARGE PLANNING

The discharge planning process begins at admission with the completion of the Patient Profile. This tool assists the Registered Nurse in the identification of patients with critical and/or complex discharge needs. Referral indicators are present on the Patient Profile as orders from the nurse based on needs assessed on admission. While planning for these needs is initiated by the Registered Nurse, appropriate referral screenings may occur electronically or through normal referral mechanisms. Through these referrals, patient discharge information is shared with all disciplines, and efforts toward a timely and appropriate discharge are coordinated. Information about any discharge instructions given to the patient and/or his/her significant other (s) is provided to the individual or organization responsible for the continuing care of the patient.

http://www.uams.edu/nursingmanual/Guidelines/GuidelineW.htm [MDPEF form]

http://www.uams.edu/nursingmanual/Guidelines/GuidelineX.htm [IPOC form]

http://www.uams.edu/nursingmanual/Guidelines/GuidelineY.htm [MADD form]

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