Discharge Facilitation: An Innovative PNP Role

Efficient and safe transition from the hospital to the community setting remains a priority in health care. Providers face mounting pressure of both timely discharges and minimizing readmissions, because these factor have an impact on provider reimbursement. Traditionally in academic medical centers, rotating teams of resident physicians have been responsible for discharging inpatients. The acute care pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP), when discharging patients, may arrange follow-up care, prescribe medications, and sign discharge orders, as the resident physician does. Additionally, the PNP is positioned to provide continuity of care and provide detailed discharge teaching and care coordination. The goal of this article is to review the literature pertaining to the nurse practitioner role in discharge facilitation and describe the creation and impact of an innovative nurse practitioner discharge coordinator role at a large urban pediatric medical center where improved discharge times were achieved.