Which term describes guidelines provided to a patient upon discharge from the ED?

• A. Discharge instructions
• B. Admission orders
• C. MDM
• D. Credentialed EPIC trainer

Answer: (A)

Discharge instructions are the guidelines given to a patient when they leave the ED. They lay out how to manage symptoms at home, how to take any prescribed medications (dosage, frequency, duration, and possible side effects), any activity or wound-care instructions, warning signs that should prompt a return to care, and how to arrange follow-up with a primary care clinician or specialist. They also include when to seek urgent care or return to the ED. This type of information is specifically intended for the patient to use after discharge, making it the correct term.

Admission orders are directions for inpatient staff on how to treat someone who is staying in the hospital, not what a patient should do after leaving. MDM refers to the medical decision making documented in the chart, a part of the physician’s reasoning rather than patient-facing guidelines. A credentialed EPIC trainer is a staff member who teaches how to use the electronic health record, not content given to patients.