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Discharge planner vs nurse extern

The differences between discharge planners and nurse externs 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 nurse extern. Additionally, a discharge planner has an average salary of $52,855, which is higher than the $37,156 average annual salary of a nurse extern.

The top three skills for a discharge planner include patients, social work and home health. The most important skills for a nurse extern are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Discharge planner vs nurse extern overview

Discharge PlannerNurse Extern
Yearly salary$52,855$37,156
Hourly rate$25.41$17.86
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs31,021569,180
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
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 nurse extern do?

The job of a nurse extern is to assist the mentor nurse in their nursing duties. They help the mentor nurse in various medical procedures such as administering medications or starting intravenous therapies. They provide or help with personal patient care, including changing bed linens, oral hygiene, and bathing. Nurse externships typically have different requirements that include having finished nursing school, completing a clinical nursing course before the training, and being registered in a nursing program.

Discharge planner vs nurse extern salary

Discharge planners and nurse externs have different pay scales, as shown below.

Discharge PlannerNurse Extern
Average salary$52,855$37,156
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $82,000Between $29,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City-Huntington Park, CA
Highest paying state-Hawaii
Best paying company-Menorah Medical Center
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between discharge planner and nurse extern education

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

Discharge PlannerNurse Extern
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common majorSocial WorkNursing
Most common collegeUniversity of Michigan - Ann ArborEmory University

Discharge planner vs nurse extern demographics

Here are the differences between discharge planners' and nurse externs' demographics:

Discharge PlannerNurse Extern
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 13.6% Female, 86.4%Male, 14.3% Female, 85.7%
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, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 9.9% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between discharge planner and nurse extern 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
  • Show more

Nurse extern example responsibilities.

  • Organize and manage regular clinics involving external physicians, including ophthalmology, ENT, Med/Surg, orthopedics, and podiatry professionals.
  • Assist patients with activities of daily living, obtain vital signs and assessments, and perform 12 lead EKG's.
  • Perform initial assessments on patients in outpatient oncology clinic; recording vital signs, significant medical history and chief complaints.
  • Shadow to adult medical-surgical nurse staff- head-to-toe assessment, assist with medication administration, computer charting with co-signor, and telemetry monitoring
  • Obtain ACLS, to ensure patients receive the best quality of care.
  • Obtain ACLS certification and then float to all critical care areas as needed.
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Discharge planner vs nurse extern skills

Common discharge planner skills
  • Patients, 23%
  • Social Work, 18%
  • Home Health, 5%
  • Acute Care, 5%
  • Patient Care, 4%
  • Social Services, 3%
Common nurse extern skills
  • Patients, 39%
  • Vital Signs, 11%
  • CPR, 4%
  • Direct Patient Care, 4%
  • Direct Supervision, 4%
  • Patient Care, 3%

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