Principles for discharging patients from acute care: a scoping review of policy.
BACKGROUND
Acute medicine units (AMUs) are part of acute hospital care, where length of patient stay is short and turnover is high. Expediting patient discharge safely is a major function of AMUs, which need up-to-date bespoke guidance.


OBJECTIVE
To carry out a scoping review of UK discharge policy to critically consider, compare and contrast the relevant discharge policies and guidance that underpin the assessment of acute patient discharge.


OBJECTIVE
To inform the production of bespoke patient discharge guidance for AMUs. Design and stages: Identify the review questions; identify relevant studies; select the studies; chart the data; collate, summarise and report the results.


RESULTS
28 patient discharge policy guidelines were identified that had no specific guidance for patient discharge from AMUs. New bespoke principles for AMUs were created through a pragmatic interpretation of current relevant policies.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a gap in specific patient discharge guidance for AMUs. New guidance should contribute in practice to improve patient discharge.
PhD student; Consultant Nurse in Acute Medicine, Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham.
Liz
L
Lees-Deutsch
Professor of Nursing, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, University of Manchester and University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust.
Janelle
J
Yorke
Professor of Nursing, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, University of Manchester and University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust.
Ann-Louise
AL
Caress
D003422:Critical Care; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006291:Health Policy; D006757:Hospital Units; D006760:Hospitalization; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010360:Patient Transfer; D006113:United Kingdom
Acute medical unit; Clinical practice; Patient discharge; Policy; Scoping review