Client Discharge Notes Skill
Discharge instructions fail when they're written for the chart, not the owner — Latin drug names, no schedule, and "monitor for complications" with no idea what that means. A stressed owner in the parking lot needs to know exactly what to do, what's normal, and when to panic. This skill writes go-home notes an owner can actually follow.
Working from a brief
Given the visit/procedure and the plan, write the full discharge notes — translate everything to plain language, make the medication schedule concrete, and define the warning signs specifically. Note that these are owner-facing instructions; the clinical record is separate.
Required Inputs
Ask for (if not provided, else infer and label):
- The patient and what was done (procedure, diagnosis, hospitalization)
- Medications prescribed (drug, dose, route, frequency, duration)
- Restrictions and the recheck plan (activity, diet, sutures, follow-up timing)
Output Format
What we did (in plain terms)
A one-paragraph plain-language summary of the visit/procedure so the owner understands the context.
Medications
| Medication (what it's for) |
How much |
When |
How to give |
Until |
With practical tips (with/without food, how to pill a cat, don't double up if a dose is missed).
Home care
Activity restriction (specific: "leash walks only, no running or stairs for 10 days"), incision/bandage care, diet, and hygiene — each concrete and time-bound.
What's normal vs. call us
- Expected: mild grogginess, small bruising, reduced appetite for a day.
- Call the clinic if: (specific warning signs — not eating >24h, incision redness/discharge/opening, vomiting, lethargy, pain not controlled).
- Emergency now: the red-flag signs that mean go to an ER (trouble breathing, collapse, uncontrolled bleeding).
Recheck & contacts
When to come back (suture removal, recheck), the clinic number and hours, and the after-hours/emergency contact.
Quality Checks
Anti-Patterns
- Drug names and doses with no schedule or plain-language purpose
- "Monitor for complications" with no definition of what to watch for
- No distinction between normal recovery and an emergency
- Missing the after-hours/emergency contact
- Chart-speak an ordinary owner can't parse
- Activity instructions too vague to follow ("take it easy")
1---2name: client-discharge-notes3description: Write clear at-home care instructions for a pet owner after a veterinary visit, procedure, or hospitalization. Use when asked to write discharge instructions, go-home notes, post-op care, or medication instructions for a pet owner. Produces plain-language home-care instructions: medications (what/how much/when/how), activity restrictions, what to watch for, warning signs that mean call-now, the recheck plan, and emergency contacts — written so a worried owner can actually follow them.4---5
6# Client Discharge Notes Skill
7
8Discharge instructions fail when they're written for the chart, not the owner — Latin drug names, no schedule, and "monitor for complications" with no idea what that means. A stressed owner in the parking lot needs to know exactly what to do, what's normal, and when to panic. This skill writes go-home notes an owner can actually follow.
9
10## Working from a brief
11
12Given the visit/procedure and the plan, **write the full discharge notes** — translate everything to plain language, make the medication schedule concrete, and define the warning signs specifically. Note that these are owner-facing instructions; the clinical record is separate.
13
14## Required Inputs
15
16Ask for (if not provided, else infer and label):
17- **The patient** and **what was done** (procedure, diagnosis, hospitalization)
18- **Medications** prescribed (drug, dose, route, frequency, duration)
19- **Restrictions and the recheck plan** (activity, diet, sutures, follow-up timing)
20
21## Output Format
22
23### What we did (in plain terms)
24A one-paragraph plain-language summary of the visit/procedure so the owner understands the context.
25
26### Medications
27
28| Medication (what it's for) | How much | When | How to give | Until |
29|---|---|---|---|---|
30
31With practical tips (with/without food, how to pill a cat, don't double up if a dose is missed).
32
33### Home care
34Activity restriction (specific: "leash walks only, no running or stairs for 10 days"), incision/bandage care, diet, and hygiene — each concrete and time-bound.
35
36### What's normal vs. call us
37- **Expected:** mild grogginess, small bruising, reduced appetite for a day.
38- **Call the clinic if:** (specific warning signs — not eating >24h, incision redness/discharge/opening, vomiting, lethargy, pain not controlled).
39- **Emergency now:** the red-flag signs that mean go to an ER (trouble breathing, collapse, uncontrolled bleeding).
40
41### Recheck & contacts
42When to come back (suture removal, recheck), the clinic number and hours, and the after-hours/emergency contact.
43
44## Quality Checks
45
46- [ ] Medications are in plain language with a concrete schedule and how-to-give tips
47- [ ] Activity/diet restrictions are specific and time-bound, not vague
48- [ ] "Normal vs. call us vs. emergency" is clearly separated with specific signs
49- [ ] The recheck plan and an after-hours/emergency contact are included
50- [ ] Written at an owner's reading level — no untranslated clinical jargon
51- [ ] Missed-dose and practical administration guidance is given
52
53## Anti-Patterns
54
55- Drug names and doses with no schedule or plain-language purpose
56- "Monitor for complications" with no definition of what to watch for
57- No distinction between normal recovery and an emergency
58- Missing the after-hours/emergency contact
59- Chart-speak an ordinary owner can't parse
60- Activity instructions too vague to follow ("take it easy")
Mohit Aggarwal