Discharge planning in acute care rehabilitation: Selecting an appropriate standardized assessment to utilize in evaluation to guide discharge recommendations

Abstract

Effective discharge planning in the acute care setting is essential for ensuring patient safety and reducing hospital readmissions. Through a combination of a literature review, needs assessment, and clinical experience, the doctoral capstone student (DCS) identified a lack of cognitive assessment administration as a gap in current practice in the acute care setting. The purpose of this project was to identify effective cognitive assessments that support discharge planning and would allow for growth in the DCS’s understanding and administration of cognitive assessments. Based on current research and resources available, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was examined as a tool to assess cognitive status. Through self-reflection, the DCS’s understanding of cognitive assessment administration grew over the course of the capstone experience.