Discharge planning and transitional care: issues in Thai nursing

Discharge planning is part of the care process that places nurses in a pivotal position in facilitating continuity of care for clients. This ethnographic study explored the current discharge practices of Thai nurses and examined how transitions from hospital to home were incorporated into Thai nursing practice. The study was conducted with registered nurses in an acute hospital in central Thailand. Results indicated that the discharge process in this community was highly informal with several factors affecting the effectiveness of nurses’ discharge functions. Consequently, strategies to improve this care process were proposed for further implementation.