title: Discharge planning. Oiling the wheels.
abstract: A liaison nurse can ensure effective discharge planning, enhance the services provided and introduce quality improvements. Employing a liaison nurse in a children's private patient directorate has reduced the length of patient stay, and stopped wards being used for outpatient sessions for children receiving follow-up treatment. Ward nurses have more time to spend with inpatients, so that children and their families benefit from a more comprehensive service and continuity of care is improved.
authors.affiliation: International and Private Patients Directorate, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children Trust.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: MacKenzie
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jordan
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care; D019090:Case Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom