title: Legal problems and principles in discharge planning: implications for social work.
abstract: While not immutable, legal principles are among the more sturdy and commanding guides of our professional behavior toward patients. By protecting privacy and autonomy inherent in the Patients Bill of Rights, legal principles shore up what is vulnerable and fearful in the patient's approach to making sense out of their plight.
mesh_terms: D006745:Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D009515:New Jersey; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012948:Social Work Department, Hospital / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*