A patient has an acute care facility discharge order for later that day. The LPN/LVN understands that part of the discharge process to be performed by a registered nurse is:

A. Checking the Medication Administration Record (MAR) or electronic MAR (eMAR) is a priority to ensure continuity of care and administer medications as prescribed in a timely manner.
B. Reviewing the orders is important but may not be the immediate priority compared to ensuring the patient's medication needs are addressed.
C. Documenting the transfer in the medical record is essential but may be done after the initial assessment and administration of necessary medications.
D. Performing a head-to-toe assessment is important but typically comes after addressing immediate needs such as medication administration, especially if the patient has specific medication schedules.

A. Discharge planning ideally begins as soon as the patient is admitted to the hospital to ensure a smooth transition and continuity of care post-discharge.
B. While discharge planning intensifies after procedures or surgery, the groundwork for planning should begin earlier during the admission process.
C. While family meetings are crucial for effective communication and planning, discharge planning ideally starts earlier, not necessarily when the meeting is scheduled.
D. Waiting until the day before discharge is not considered optimal for comprehensive discharge planning, as it may not allow sufficient time for arrangements and coordination.