General Nursing (RGN)
ADMISSION OF A PATIENT
Admission is the process of receiving and settling a patient/client into a health facility for observation, investigation, treatment, nursing care or bed rest. Admission may be planned or unplanned.
Purpose
- Allow the patient to stay in the hospital for observation, investigation and treatment
- Provide appropriate nursing care and monitoring
- Establish baseline assessment findings
- Ensure continuity and coordination of care
- Provide orientation and promote patient safety
Indications
- Planned admission for investigation or treatment
- Unplanned or emergency admission requiring immediate care
- Admission following transfer from another clinical area
- Admission for observation and monitoring
- Admission for surgical or other specialized treatment
Equipment
- Admission bed and its accessories according to patient condition
- Manual or electronic folder
- Vital signs tray
- Oxygen apparatus
- Treatment or emergency tray
- Suction apparatus
- Admission and Discharge documents (Manual or Electronic)
Procedure steps
- Welcome patient and relatives to the nurses' station
- Introduce self and any staff present
- Collect necessary documents, admission notes and relevant information from the accompanying nurse
- Assess the patient's condition and note any supportive gadgets or devices
- Identify and confirm the patient's identity and relevant particulars
- Reassure the patient and relatives appropriately
- Send the patient to the bedside and position according to the condition
- Make the relative comfortable in the appropriate waiting area where applicable
- Take a comprehensive history from the patient or relatives as appropriate
- Perform a general head-to-toe assessment
- Check and record vital signs
- Establish intravenous access and obtain specimens for requested investigations when indicated and authorized
- Send the patient for requested investigations when clinically appropriate
- Inform the charge nurse of urgent prescribed medication and ensure availability
- Administer prescribed medications
- Assist the patient to change into appropriate clothing
- Ask the patient to declare valuables according to institutional protocol
- Secure and document patient valuables according to institutional protocol
- Explain applicable National Health Insurance or other approved health insurance processes
- Process insurance requirements where applicable
- For cash-paying patients, follow the institution's approved payment/deposit process
- Orient the patient to the ward environment and routines
- Document the admission assessment, care provided and relevant findings
Precautions
- Confirm patient identity using appropriate identifiers
- Assess and prioritize emergency conditions before routine admission procedures
- Maintain patient privacy, dignity and confidentiality
- Perform hand hygiene and use appropriate infection-prevention precautions
- Check vital signs and report abnormal findings promptly
- Ensure oxygen, suction and emergency equipment are available when required
- Check allergies before administering medications
- Administer medications only as prescribed and according to facility policy
- Use aseptic technique for intravenous access and specimen collection
- Handle patient valuables according to institutional policy
- Ensure specimens are correctly identified and transported
- Escalate deterioration or urgent clinical findings immediately
Educational resource only. Follow current Nursing and Midwifery Council guidance, local institutional protocols, scope of practice, and clinical supervision.
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