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Discharge planner vs home health nurse

The differences between discharge planners and home health nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a discharge planner and a home health nurse. Additionally, a home health nurse has an average salary of $69,393, which is higher than the $52,855 average annual salary of a discharge planner.

The top three skills for a discharge planner include patients, social work and home health. The most important skills for a home health nurse are home health, patients, and quality care.

Discharge planner vs home health nurse overview

Discharge PlannerHome Health Nurse
Yearly salary$52,855$69,393
Hourly rate$25.41$33.36
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs31,021687,941
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Associate Degree, 39%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a discharge planner do?

In the health industry, a discharge planner is primarily responsible for assessing and meeting the patients' needs as they transition to their lives after being in the hospital. It is their duty to study the patients' medical history, provide discharge summaries to the patients' insurance providers, arrange services with external parties such as rehabilitation centers or therapists, and develop discharge plans that would guide the patients' on their journey to recovery. Moreover, they coordinate with medical experts and work with the patients' families to ensure the patient's welfare.

What does a home health nurse do?

A home health nurse is responsible for assisting patients usually in their households, strictly monitoring their health conditions and treatment plans for fast recovery. Home health nurses work with the patients' attending physicians and other health professionals to develop healthcare plans and administer timely medications. They update the patient's chart regularly, record temperature and vital signs, manage food intake, and respond to the patients' inquiries and requests. A home health nurse must have strong organizational and time-management skills to perform various nursing duties under certain conditions.

Discharge planner vs home health nurse salary

Discharge planners and home health nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Discharge PlannerHome Health Nurse
Average salary$52,855$69,393
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $82,000Between $48,000 And $99,000
Highest paying City-Petaluma, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-Senior Living Properties
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between discharge planner and home health nurse education

There are a few differences between a discharge planner and a home health nurse in terms of educational background:

Discharge PlannerHome Health Nurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Associate Degree, 39%
Most common majorSocial WorkNursing
Most common collegeUniversity of Michigan - Ann ArborDuke University

Discharge planner vs home health nurse demographics

Here are the differences between discharge planners' and home health nurses' demographics:

Discharge PlannerHome Health Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 13.6% Female, 86.4%Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between discharge planner and home health nurse duties and responsibilities

Discharge planner example responsibilities.

  • Manage full caseload of patients providing both supportive and educational counseling as well as utilization review and case management services.
  • Assist patients with completing Medicaid applications.
  • Coordinate and facilitate patient placement post discharge in clinical facilities, including SNF and rehabilitation programs.
  • Maintain verbal contact with family/petitioner, in compliance with HIPAA and JCAHO policy, with regards to consumer needs.
  • Facilitate transportation prior to approval from Medicaid including ambulance transfer.
  • Follow and adhere to facility policies and procedures implementing HIPAA requirements
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Home health nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage an Alzheimer patient daily care including bathing, feeding and administer any medication.
  • Instruct patients and relatives regarding techniques used in managing vascular access devices aim at facilitating client independence.
  • Field NurseProvide care for patients discharge from hospital, skil care facility rehabilitation facility and referral from physician's office.
  • Administer IM meds such as monthly B12
  • Maintain and assess patient for daily MDS.
  • Care of ventilator and TPN in home private duty
  • Show more

Discharge planner vs home health nurse skills

Common discharge planner skills
  • Patients, 23%
  • Social Work, 18%
  • Home Health, 5%
  • Acute Care, 5%
  • Patient Care, 4%
  • Social Services, 3%
Common home health nurse skills
  • Home Health, 31%
  • Patients, 20%
  • Quality Care, 5%
  • Rehabilitation, 4%
  • Physician Orders, 4%
  • Infection Control, 3%

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