Effectiveness of trauma nurse practitioner-led patient-centered discharge plan: a quality improvement project

Abstract

Trauma Nurse Practitioners (TNPs) in Trauma Centers have been shown to expand the multidisciplinary team approach in caring for that patient population. TNPs create opportunities for increased patient throughput, decreased length of hospital stay, increased staff support for TNP collaboration, and the development of a comprehensive, detailed, patient-centered discharge plan. To evaluate peer-reviewed evidence-based articles assessing the impact of TNPs in developing a patient-focused, detailed discharge plan, a review of current literature (2007-2022) was completed by searching CINAHL, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science using mesh terms "trauma nurse practitioner," "trauma," "staff satisfaction," "throughput times," and "patient-centered plan of care." Thirty-nine articles were found and, of those, 28 are included in this review. Evidence supports the TNP's role in developing patient-focused discharge plans leading to increases in communication, increased focus on planning for unmet needs, efficiency in rounding, and decreases in length of stay. These changes result in increased satisfaction from physicians and nursing staff related to the TNP-centered role in discharge plan development. TNPs can be a valuable addition to trauma services as they coordinate the development of a comprehensive, individualized plan of care for patients throughout the hospital stay, allowing for a successful transition of care.