The Concept of Basic Nursing - Case Study Example

When taking history, it is important to record the accurate date of admission in the patient’s medical record. The admission date will help the nurse to calculate the patient length of stay at discharge or during the death of the patient. Calculating the accurate length of stay for the patient will enable the accounting department to calculate the exact cost for a patient stay in the hospital.

Length of stay (LOS) is a period that covers the duration of a single episode of patient hospitalization. It is measured in days but not hours. It provides the hospital management with information on how quickly patients are being treated and discharged. This can give information on whether patients are being managed properly. Calculation of length of stay to calculate LOS, the patient date of admission and discharge need to be tabulated. LOS is after that computed by subtracting the date of admission from the date of discharge or death.

However, patients entering and leaving the hospital on the same day are given a LOS of one day.LOS= Date of admission- Date of dischargeMR#01362LOS= April 9-March 24For the patient whose record was MR#01362, the LOS will be 16 days MR#120431LOS= July 12- July 12, 10:10 p.m.The patient whose record was MR#120431 will have a LOS of one day as he was admitted and died during the same day.ConclusionProper keeping of records needs to be instituted in the hospital set up as it provides vital information on the patient’s progress.

LOS of patients can help the hospital management to know how quickly the patients are being treated and discharged. This will further help to tell if patients are receiving proper management for their conditions.