Use AI to quickly draft discharge instruction summaries that are clear and patient-friendly.

1. Identify the diagnosis or procedure you need discharge instructions for (e.g., post-op appendectomy, new diabetes diagnosis, CHF exacerbation). Don't include any real patient details. 2. Open ChatGPT or Claude and ask it to draft a patient-friendly discharge instruction sheet covering key areas: what happened, what to watch for, medications, activity limits, follow-up, and when to call the doctor. 3. Review the AI draft carefully. Check that the language is simple, the instructions are realistic, and nothing conflicts with your facility's protocols or standard of care. 4. Adjust the tone and detail level based on your patient's health literacy and language needs. Ask AI to simplify further or add specific examples if needed. 5. Use the refined draft as a starting point to personalize for your actual patient, adding specifics from their care plan and physician orders. Never use AI output as-is — always customize and verify against clinical standards. 6. Save successful templates (without patient data) in a personal folder so you can reuse and adapt them for future patients with similar needs. This builds your library over time and cuts drafting time from 15 minutes to 3. Remember: AI helps you draft faster, but you're the nurse who ensures it's accurate and safe.

February 20, 2026