Understanding Discharge Instruction for Children and Caregivers in the Transition from Pediatric Emergency Care

Over 87% of children who visit Canadian emergency departments (EDs) are discharged home to their place of residence. Following discharge, many children and their caregivers are unable to list their diagnosis, recount the name and purpose of medications they received, outline the recommended post ED care or know when to return to seek medical advice. The aim of this project is to develop a description of a patient centered approach to discharge instructions in the context of Canadian pediatric emergency care. The description will be developed from data gathered through chart audits, observations parent/clinician interactions in the ED and focus group interviews with parents and clinicians. This work will increase our understanding of discharge communication in Canadian pediatric EDs and lead to national policy recommendations for delivery of discharge instructions.