Admission, Transfer and Discharge

The first impression you make on your patient is made during admission and can either help improve your patient’s stay or make it a negative experience.

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Four common reactions to admission are fear, anxiety, loss of control, and loss of identity.

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Discharge planning begins long after admission.

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Transferring within the facility is the simplest transfer of a patient from one unit to another unit within the same facility.

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Separation anxiety is uncommon in children and older adults.

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You can help prevent loss of identity for your patients by:

• calling them “honey,” “sweetie,” or other endearments.

• addressing them by title and surname.

• referring to them as a room number to protect privacy.

• referring to them by their diagnosis.

• addressing all patients with their first name to provide a sense of familiarity.

Mrs. Jones is admitted to the hospital for pneumonia. While taking care of Mrs. Jones, you know some common patient reactions to admission are which of the following?

• Fear of the unknown

• Anxiety

• Loss of control

• Loss of identity

At what point before discharge should discharge planning begin?

• Upon admission

• Right before discharge

• Right before social services visits the patient

• In the emergency room

Which of the following will enhance communication with a patient from a different culture?

• Make jokes about the patient’s beliefs and traditions to put the patient at ease

• Clarify information when you do not understand what the patient has said

• Use simple, common, and proper English

• Avoid the use of slang

• Attempt to emulate the dialect and accent of the different culture

The first impression you make on the patient:

• will not affect the outcome of the hospitalization.

• can be a negative one.

• is not important.

• can lead to improving the patient’s stay.

• is partially determined by your facial expression.