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Implementation Of Written Discharge Instructions For Common Diagnoses In The Urgent Care Setting, Melissa Kulp, Kristin Elmore

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Abstract

Discharge instructions are an important tool providers use to communicate information to patients about their medical diagnosis after they return to their home environments. When patients understand and follow discharge instructions there are improved outcomes, fewer callbacks, and decreased return visits. The purpose of this quality improvement project were (a) to develop and distribute discharge instructions at or below a sixth-grade reading level, (b) on common diagnoses appropriate for a rural community, (c) decreased the need for subsequent office visits, and (d) decreased call volumes at a rural walk-in clinic. A large-scale literature review was conducted to determine the …