Original scientific paper
Importance of the nursing discharge letter in planning community nursing care
Rozmari Tusić
orcid.org/0009-0009-7080-0744
Sandra Bošković
Abstract
Aim: The main objective of this research was to analyzethe nursing discharge letters sent to the CommunityNursing Service of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County(PGK) Health Center by the Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka and the Psychiatric Hospital Lopača in the periodfrom January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023.Materials and methods: Data were analyzed from nursing discharge letters received by the outpatient service of the PGK Health Center, from the Rijeka Hospital Center, and the Lopača Psychiatric Hospital, as well as from the outpatient service’s medical database of the PGK Health Center.Results: From January 1 to December 31, 2023, theCommunity Nursing Service of the PGŽ Health Centerreceived 109 nursing discharge letters by e-mail. Community nurses carried out 32 visits within 24 hours, 16 visits within 1–3 days, and 17 visits after more than 3days, while for 44 patients no community nurse visit wasrecorded. Reasons for not visiting included the placement of 17 patients in nursing homes, the death of 4 patients within 24 hours after discharge, and the absence of a documented reason for 23 patients.Conclusions: It is extremely important that the role ofthe nursing discharge letter in planning post-hospitalhealthcare is recognized within the healthcare system,especially by community (visiting) nurses.
Keywords
Central Information System of the Republic of Croatia (CEZIH); Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Health Center; nursing discharge letter; health care planning
Hrčak ID:
343552
URI
Publication date:
21.1.2026.
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