Nursing Foundations · Hospital Admission & Discharge
Hospital Admission & Discharge
Emergency Admissiondefinition
Admission for patients with acute conditions requiring immediate assessment and intervention.
in simple words: Unplanned admission due to sudden illness, accident, or rapid worsening of a chronic condition.
e.g. Myocardial infarction, severe trauma, poisoning, acute respiratory distress.
Nurse's Role in Admission
For a routine admission, the nurse's first action is to complete the admission procedure. This includes initial assessment, health history, orientation to the unit, and documentation. Other tasks such as informing the doctor or obtaining blood samples are performed after this comprehensive process.
Informed Consent – Consent given after full disclosure of procedure, risks, benefits, and alternatives.
- Nurse witnesses the patient's signature but does not obtain informed consent.
- Duty to obtain informed consent belongs to the healthcare provider performing the procedure.
- If patient is not fully informed, nurse must notify the provider and advocate for the patient.
- Nurse must not attempt to explain the procedure themselves.
Preparing the Patient's Unit
- Primary reason – To make the patient feel expected and welcome.
- Effect – Reduces anxiety, builds trust, communicates organization and competence.