Which factors should a nurse consider in discharge planning to address social determinants of health?

• A. Transportation to appointments, access to medications, follow-up availability, and community supports
• B. The patient’s hair color and fashion sense
• C. Hospital menu options
• D. Bed size in the hospital

Answer: (A)

Discharge planning that tackles social determinants of health focuses on what happens outside the hospital that affects a patient’s ability to follow the care plan at home. The strongest approach includes arranging transportation to follow-up appointments, ensuring ongoing access to prescribed medications, coordinating timely and feasible follow-up care, and connecting the patient with community supports such as home health services, financial or food assistance, and caregiver networks. Addressing these factors helps with medication adherence, enables early detection and management of complications through proper follow-up, and supports the patient’s ability to meet daily needs after discharge. In contrast, factors like hair color, fashion sense, hospital menu options, or bed size within the hospital do not influence post-discharge outcomes or access to necessary resources, so they are not relevant to addressing social determinants of health in discharge planning.