1. The patient must be fully conscious after the anaesthetic or sedation.
2. The procedure must be fully booked and the clinical notes written up by the technician or case vet where appropriate.
3. Any specific home care instructions must be clearly explained to the theatre nurse or kennel nurse.
4. The appropriate discharge or home care sheet must be filled out fully and correctly.
5. Medications should be on the kennel with any relevant information i.e. dressing protection or microchip forms.
6. Take medication and any other items to the client to be discussed in a consult room; do not discharge a patient in the waiting room.
7. Go through the form and aftercare explaining the exercise, feeding, medication, and follow-up appointment regimes. Explain care of coverings, such as Primapore, bandages etc. Explain the hair clipping patches and why they were important.
8. With the patient, check all wounds are healthy-looking and free from blood-staining. Check there is no soiling or staining of the coat, clean if necessary.
9. When the animal is brought to the owner, show them the wound and how it should look, explain any abnormalities that may occur and what to do in these circumstances.
10. Explain to the receptionist the follow up appointments, and which vet they are with, before leaving the client.

Prepared by VetNurse.co.uk. V1. 26/9/2023

Download 'Discharging Day Patients' here.