Discharge planning for the elderly patient in the acute care setting.

Discharge planning is an important professional function of the nurse caring for elderly persons in an acute care setting. In collaboration with the patient, the family, and other health care providers, the nurse often assumes the major responsibility for developing a comprehensive discharge plan to assist with continuity of patient care. This plan must be written with clearly identified objectives. Direct support to the patient and professional collaboration in discharge decision-making are major contributions of the nurse to patients moving from the acute care setting to other environments. By applying the nursing process to discharge planning, the nurse can enable elderly patients to realize their maximum potential on discharge.