The Role of a Discharge Nurse in Expediting the Discharge Process

The discharge process on the Maternal Newborn Care (MNBC) unit at the University of Utah Hospital can take up to eight hours to unfold. Slow discharge processes frustrate patients and staff. To expedite the discharge process, a team of unit-based discharge nurses will be hired to manage the discharge process. Hiring a team of unit-based discharge nurses will expedite the discharge process by shortening patients' wait times to receive discharge teaching, bridging the communication gap between the patient and their healthcare team, and streamlining the discharge process.