title: Discharge Education for Residents: A Study of Trainee Preparedness for Hospital Discharge.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Safe hospital discharges have become a major focus in the national discussion on transitions of care and care coordination. Education on the hospital discharge process is evolving as the needs of trainees are better understood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study is a cross-sectional survey of residents in a Midwestern residency program about their confidence in safely discharging patients from the hospital, including how they have or have not learned to do so.
  
  
  METHODS
  An anonymous paper questionnaire was distributed to a convenience sample of interns and residents at a weekly meeting of the residency program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most residents reported a general confidence in their abilities to safely discharge patients from the hospital; however, further probing revealed that their confidence breaks down when required to competently perform specific tasks of the discharge process such as activity restrictions or facilitation of home care. More than 50% of house staff surveyed responded that their education in many specific aspects of the discharge process are lacking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interdisciplinary care education, and the discharge summary in particular, warrant further scrutiny as a care transition tool and means of teaching safe hospital discharge to trainees. We present a questionnaire that may serve useful as an anonymous tool to gauge residents' educational needs.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Carnahan
authors.forename: Kathlyn E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Fletcher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education*; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D063886:Patient Discharge Summaries; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014922:Wisconsin