A question came up the other day regarding discharge from our Phase II Recovery. Our patients are generally escorted by wheelchair to their vehicles accompanied by our PSA and not the nurse. If a patient successfully meets the discharge criteria for Phase II Recovery, does accountability for that patient extend to the "door"?On occasion, patients have left Phase II Recovery and attended an outpaitient clinic, cast room, radiology for example after meeting discharge criteria for our unit. My thuoght is that we have a responsibility to ensure safety while under our "roof". What are your thoughts?
Thanks,Liz
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Hi Elizabeth,
we have the same policy at Trillium, as a registered nurse is not required to transport stable pts who have met Phase II discharge criteria.
OPANA standards has a section on the unregulated health care provider. Basically, it the RN to determines that the pt has met d/c criteria (as per hospital policy), and delegates care as appropriate to the health care aid/volunteer/other unregulated member.
I agree; the nurse is still accountable, as she has delegated care/transfer, but the unregulated staff are also accountable and have been trained to respond to adverse response appropriately. The accountabilty is shared by all team members; no one can then say "it's not my patient".
Would you mind if I posted your query on the OPANA blog? It would be interesting to see what other hospitals are doing as well.
Thanks,
Heather Ead
Clinical Educator
Surgical Health System
Trillium Health Centre
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