Overview
Introduction
An apparently stable patient can still be unsafe to send home.
An apparently stable patient can still be unsafe to send home. Discharge readiness is a nursing judgment about whether the plan fits the patient's current physical and functional status, knowledge and self-care ability, confidence in coping, and available support. A discharge order initiates the final transition; it does not prove that these conditions are met. Readiness is dynamic. A new symptom, medication change, decline in mobility, change in cognition, or loss of caregiver availability can invalidate an earlier plan. Assessment begins at admission, while final teaching, demonstration, reconciliation, and follow-up verification occur before the patient leaves and after any significant change. For a US RN, the practical question is: Can this patient and the identified support person carry out the plan at the intended destination, recognize deterioration, and obtain help? The sections that follow connect the four-domain assessment to teach-back, medication safety, coordination, and escalation when the answer is not yet yes.