Nurse Facilitated Hospital Discharge Planning in an Elderly Unit Literature review

Nurse Facilitated Hospital Discharge Planning in an Elderly Unit - Literature review Example Patients with complex care needs, including frail and elderly or those with mental problems, may require continuing care in special housing, residential or nursing homes, and need a ‘package of care’ to support them back to good health after hospital discharge (McKenna et al, 2000, p.594-601). Such population demands effective discharge arrangements. Discharge planning is â€Å"a facet of the overall care of the patient, developed through the application of the nursing process† (Watts, 2005). It is a process â€Å"that is dependent on inter-professional collaboration between health and welfare professionals† (Atwal, 2002). Study of problems of discharging patients from hospitals have been in focus during the last two decades, and some of the shortcomings identified are: â€Å"poor communication between hospital and community; inadequate notice of discharge; over-reliance in informed support and lack of support; inattention to patient’s needs before leaving hospital; and wasted or duplicated visits by community nurses† (McKenna et al, 2000, p.594-601). â€Å"Cost effective, coordinated, high-quality discharge planning† is integral to control increasing healthcare costs and hospital personnel must become more adept at preparing patients for discharge as there is a decrease in length of acute hospital stay, and increase in care shift to communities and homes (Lalani & Gulzar, 2001). â€Å"Aged care assessment team (ACAT)† model, operating in Australia, may be helpful in streamlining hospital discharge process in the U.K. (Robinson & Street, 2003). ACAT, a key multidisciplinary group primarily comprising nurses and paramedical staff, is involved in determining the discharge needs of older people Hence, decreasing length of patient stay in hospitals is paramount agenda in every health care planner and eliminating long waiting lists and freeing up of ‘blocked beds’ could be possible with effective an d efficient discharge planning procedures.  

International Business Strategy - Protectionism Essay

International Business Strategy - Protectionism - Essay Example Economic integration leads to openness and openness triggers volatility leading to insecurity. To alleviate the fears, to provide security to the local firms, the governments need to have a protectionist attitude (Fitoussi, 2007). Protectionism interferes in the process of globalization as it puts strict limits on the interplay of free markets. In fact, the rise of protectionism led to the end of the first phase of globalization. The MNEs, however, attempt to overcome the host country protectionism through different ways. Protectionism implies that the government in the emerging economies will not let growth slow down. It will use the instruments of economic policy which assures to reduce the uncertainty linked with investment (Fitoussi, 2007). It also helps to increase the dynamism in the labor market. Protectionism definitely helps the â€Å"infant† industries in emerging markets. It fosters the long-term rate of growth of developing countries. Nevertheless, if these economies have to be integrated into the world economy, it requires a richer industrial structure. The fiscal and social receipts are too low and the welfare state is embryonic. Protectionism would allow it to develop a richer industrial structure and to provide through tariffs the necessary public funds to build a social system. Trade protection has to be there for the developing nations to eventually integrate into the world economy. Shiva (2005) is of the firm conviction that trade liberalization does not lead to development. â€Å"Aid for Trade† is merely a coercive imposition of trade liberalization by WTO, the World Bank, and IMF. These tactics enable the MNC’s to expand and enlarge in every sector - agriculture, services, manufacturing. Protectionism is justified because development should be endogenous and not imposed with conditions.