title: Discharge planning utilizing the discharge train: improved communication with families.
abstract: In Ontario, publicly funded, regionalized healthcare enables transfer of convalescing infants from level III neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to regional level II nurseries prior to discharge home. To facilitate a timely transfer and allow time for preparation of families and regional hospital nurseries, NICU staff must recognize infant readiness early. This article describes the implementation process of a 4-part, multidisciplinary, discharge planning instrument that assists staff in early identification of infant readiness for transfer or discharge home. Titled the Discharge Planning Train, this interactive instrument encourages communication and collaboration between all levels of the multidisciplinary staff and with families and decreases confusion at the time of transfer. Barriers to and strategies for successful implementation are included. Evaluation methods and results are presented. The success of the instrument in improving communication and collaboration with the families is well described by the RNs.
authors.affiliation: McMaster Children's Hospital at Hamilton Health Sciences, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. gaal@hhsc.ca
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Gaal
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blatz
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dix
authors.forename: Barb
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jennings
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003663:Decision Trees; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods*; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D009864:Ontario; D010351:Patient Discharge; D018579:Patient Selection; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth; D011368:Professional-Family Relations