SAFER Care: improving caregiver comprehension of discharge instructions.
Breakdowns in communication between clinicians and patients and their caregivers are common and can lead to adverse events. This article describes the development of the SAFER Care framework for written and verbal discharge counseling in pediatric units. The SAFER mnemonic reminds clinicians delivering discharge counseling to discuss safe return to school/daycare, activity restrictions, follow-up plans expected symptoms after discharge, when to return and seek care for symptoms, and who to contact with questions. Results from caregiver surveys indicate that the SAFER Care framework improved their comprehension of discharge instructions.