What documentation is required upon a resident's discharge from a nursing home?

The required documentation upon a resident's discharge from a nursing home is a discharge summary that includes the resident's condition at discharge, care instructions, and follow-up plans. This summary is essential as it provides vital information that ensures continuity of care for the resident after leaving the nursing home. It details the resident's health status, outlining any ongoing medical needs and instructions for caregivers or family members, which helps to prevent complications or readmissions.

While a letter from a physician can sometimes accompany a discharge, it does not contain all necessary information that the discharge summary provides. Similarly, notifying family members is important, but it is not sufficient documentation by itself. A transfer form is applicable when a resident is moving to another facility, but it does not encompass the comprehensive health information and care instructions needed for discharges, which makes the discharge summary an essential legal and clinical document in these situations.