Discharge Readiness

Discharge readiness is a clinical assessment of fit: does the patient’s current condition, function, understanding, medication plan, and available support match what the next care setting will require? A discharge order or anticipated date does not answer that question. Readiness is assessed from admission onward, revisited as recovery and circumstances change, and confirmed immediately before the transition. The nurse looks for mismatches that could cause harm—an unexplained medication change, a patient who cannot perform a required task, or equipment and follow-up that are not actually available. The team then corrects the gap, increases support, or reconsider the discharge disposition. In Canada, the exact community services, documentation process, and electronic record pathway depend on the province and organization; the patient-safety principles of coordinated assessment, communication, and verification remain the same.