client-discharge-notes

# Client Discharge Notes Skill Discharge instructions fail when they're written for the chart, not the owner — Latin drug names, no schedule, and "monitor for complications" with no idea what that means. A stressed owner in the parking lot needs to know exactly what to do, what's normal, and when to panic. This skill writes go-home notes an owner can actually follow. ## Working from a brief Given the visit/procedure and the plan, **write the full discharge notes** — translate everything to plain language, make the medication schedule concrete, and define the warning signs specifically. Note that these are owner-facing instructions; the clinical record is separate. ## Required Inputs Ask for (if not provided, else infer and label): - **The patient** and **what was done** (procedure, diagnosis, hospitalization) - **Medications** prescribed (drug, dose, route, frequency, duration) - **Restrictions and the recheck plan** (activity, diet, sutures, follow-up timing) ## Output Format ### What we did (in plain terms) A one-paragraph plain-language summary of the visit/procedure so the owner understands the context. ### Medications | Medication (what it's for) | How much | When | How to give | Until | |---|---|---|---|---| With practical tips (with/without food, how to pill a cat, don't double up if a dose is missed). ### Home care Activity restriction (specific: "leash walks only, no running or stairs for 10 days"), incision/bandage care, diet, and hygiene — each concrete and time-bound. ### What's normal vs. call us - **Expected:** mild grogginess, small bruising, reduced appetite for a day. - **Call the clinic if:** (specific warning signs — not eating >24h, incision redness/discharge/opening, vomiting, lethargy, pain not controlled). - **Emergency now:** the red-flag signs that mean go to an ER (trouble breathing, collapse, uncontrolled bleeding). ### Recheck & contacts When to come back (suture removal, recheck), the clinic number and hours, and the after-hours/emergency contact. ## Quality Checks - [ ] Medications are in plain language with a concrete schedule and how-to-give tips - [ ] Activity/diet restrictions are specific and time-bound, not vague - [ ] "Normal vs. call us vs. emergency" is clearly separated with specific signs - [ ] The recheck plan and an after-hours/emergency contact are included - [ ] Written at an owner's reading level — no untranslated clinical jargon - [ ] Missed-dose and practical administration guidance is given ## Anti-Patterns - Drug names and doses with no schedule or plain-language purpose - "Monitor for complications" with no definition of what to watch for - No distinction between normal recovery and an emergency - Missing the after-hours/emergency contact - Chart-speak an ordinary owner can't parse - Activity instructions too vague to follow ("take it easy")