Academic clinical discharge summary notes provide a unique opportunity to practice and demonstrate advanced practice documentation skills, develop and demonstrate critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills, and practice identifying acute and chronic problems and formulating an evidence-based plans of care.
This assignment uses a template. Refer to the "AGACNP Discharge Summary Template," located on the Student Success Center page under the AGACNP tab.
Develop an academic clinical discharge summary note based on a hospital patient seen during clinical/practicum. The discharge summary note should include the following:
- Reason for admission: Include the reason for admission, a list of diagnoses in order of acuity, and an ICD-10 diagnosis.
- List of all procedures: Include all dates, significant findings, and any anesthetics and contrast used during procedures.
- Complete list of consults during hospitalization: Include any providers or services consulted during the stay.
- Patient's condition at discharge: Include a physical exam prior to discharge that documents that patient is stable at discharge and has safe disposition and transportation. What diagnostic criteria confirmed the discharge diagnosis?
- Complete list of discharge medications: Full list with all dosages, frequencies, and quantity of medications prescribed or dispensed.
- Pending test results for follow up: Complete list of any pathology, cultures, radiology, or other diagnostic tests still pending, and who is responsible for follow-up on the final results.
- Complete list of discharge instructions: Full list of directions regarding infection prevention, new medications, and returning to daily activities.
- Complete list of discharge follow-ups: Full list of any therapies, treatments, referrals, consults, and follow-up appointments. What diagnostic criteria were needed after discharge?