Hospital discharge planning for older adults based on Afaf Meleis’ theory: a theoretical reflection
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12957/reuerj.2026.95147Keywords:
Nursing Theory, Health of the Elderly, Patient DischargeAbstract
Objective: to reflect on hospital discharge planning for older adults in light of Afaf Meleis’s theory. Content: this is a theoretical-reflective study grounded in the Transitions Theory, also involving the authors’ critical analysis of the application of this theory to the context of hospital discharge planning for older adults. Regarding the analytical dimensions, it addresses the continuity of care, particularly in the context of the hospital discharge of older adults, highlighting the importance of discharge planning and the role of nurses in this process, drawing on Afaf Meleis’s Transitions Theory. Final Considerations: the application of the Transitions Theory in this context may contribute to an effective process, ensuring the safe transition and continuity of care, particularly with regard to the hospital discharge of older adults, with the nurse at the center of this process.
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