Why are hospital admissions and discharges so stressful? When someone is in the hospital, the standard best practice is that you or your loved one will be assigned an RN, case manager, and a social worker who will work on the plans for discharge. They become the central part of the clinical team within the hospital, and they should be talking to you about the discharge from the beginning of the hospitalization.
However, be ready for that plan to be a moving target. One day, they will tell you what to expect, and then the next day, what they tell you is likely to be very different. Due to changing circumstances and new tests and new information that is received by the clinical team, discharge plans are often evolving and changing and this can cause family members to begin feeling confused, and sometimes really angry.
Although being discharged often feels like a destination, the discharge process is an evolving journey of uncertainty. And that’s what makes planning for discharge really frustrating.
We have a free download of the six essential steps to managing hospitalization. If you need more assistance than is offered in this article, you can contact us toll free at 855-456-7972 or visit our website at www.ikorofwpa.com