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Discharge planner vs student nurse

The differences between discharge planners and student 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 student nurse. Additionally, a discharge planner has an average salary of $52,855, which is higher than the $37,281 average annual salary of a student nurse.

The top three skills for a discharge planner include patients, social work and home health. The most important skills for a student nurse are patients, vital signs, and direct patient care.

Discharge planner vs student nurse overview

Discharge PlannerStudent Nurse
Yearly salary$52,855$37,281
Hourly rate$25.41$17.92
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs31,021578,210
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 52%
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 student nurse do?

A Student Nurse is responsible for treating and taking care of a patient's needs while upholding all the rules and medical regulations of a hospital or clinic. They work and function under the supervision of a Clinical Instructor while still gaining practical experience. Furthermore, among the duties of a Student Nurse revolves around following guidelines given by superiors, administering medication according to schedule, dressing patients, handing meals and changing beds, gathering and charting data, and coordinating with the instructor at all times.

Discharge planner vs student nurse salary

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

Discharge PlannerStudent Nurse
Average salary$52,855$37,281
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $82,000Between $26,000 And $52,000
Highest paying City-Oxnard, CA
Highest paying state-Hawaii
Best paying company-Boston Medical Center
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between discharge planner and student nurse education

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

Discharge PlannerStudent Nurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Most common majorSocial WorkNursing
Most common collegeUniversity of Michigan - Ann ArborDuke University

Discharge planner vs student nurse demographics

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

Discharge PlannerStudent Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 13.6% Female, 86.4%Male, 15.5% Female, 84.5%
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, 10.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 11.3% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between discharge planner and student 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
  • Show more

Student nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage surgical recovery patients including vascular, ENT, GI urological and neurological cases, coronary bypass surgery patients.
  • Experience in plastics, general, podiatry, ortho, gyn, GI and pain services
  • Administer intravenous infusions, PO, IM, IVP, SubQ prescriptions and monitoring patients for adverse reactions.
  • Provide competent nursing care within scope of practice on the Med-Surg, and ICU floor as a student nurse.
  • Experience inserting IVs, total patient care, charting, and logging with SRHS computer system on multiple MED-SURG units.
  • Provide general patient care ADL's, administering dressing changes, providing nurses notes, and other aide duties for patient.
  • Show more

Discharge planner vs student nurse skills

Common discharge planner skills
  • Patients, 23%
  • Social Work, 18%
  • Home Health, 5%
  • Acute Care, 5%
  • Patient Care, 4%
  • Social Services, 3%
Common student nurse skills
  • Patients, 26%
  • Vital Signs, 9%
  • Direct Patient Care, 6%
  • Administer Medications, 4%
  • IV, 4%
  • CPR, 3%

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