Nursing management (Harrow, London, England : 1994)
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Delayed discharges have financial implications for hospital trusts and cause dissatisfaction for patients and their families. This article looks at nurse-led discharge pathways at Milton Keynes Hospital's ambulatory care unit. It explains how giving nurses the responsibility to discharge has improved the patient experience, made nurses more accountable and saved money for the trust.
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Service development and service improvement are complex concepts, but this should not prevent practitioners engaging in, or initiating, them. There is no set blueprint for service development so this article examines the process, describes the skills required, lists some change management tools and offers a guide to the stages involved. The article aims to demystify service development for those considering embarking on the process for the first time.