After evaluation for kidney stones, which statement describes discharge planning?

After evaluation for kidney stones, which statement describes discharge planning?

• A. Stay in hospital
• B. Wear a urinary catheter
• C. Start hemodialysis
• D. Send home with a stone strainer

Answer: (D)

Discharge planning after evaluating kidney stones focuses on safely sending the patient home while enabling ongoing management and future prevention. A stone strainer is a practical tool that the patient can use at home to catch any stone fragments or the entire stone if one is passed. Having the passed material available for analysis helps determine the stone’s composition, which guides metabolic evaluation and targeted preventive steps (like dietary changes or medications) to reduce recurrence. It also provides concrete evidence to share with clinicians during follow-up. Staying in the hospital is typically reserved for complications such as uncontrolled pain, suspected infection, or urinary obstruction, which isn’t implied by uncomplicated stone evaluation. A urinary catheter isn’t routinely needed unless there’s obstruction or urinary retention. Starting hemodialysis is not a treatment for stones and would indicate severe kidney failure or another condition, not a routine stone episode.

Discharge planning after evaluating kidney stones focuses on safely sending the patient home while enabling ongoing management and future prevention. A stone strainer is a practical tool that the patient can use at home to catch any stone fragments or the entire stone if one is passed. Having the passed material available for analysis helps determine the stone’s composition, which guides metabolic evaluation and targeted preventive steps (like dietary changes or medications) to reduce recurrence. It also provides concrete evidence to share with clinicians during follow-up.

Staying in the hospital is typically reserved for complications such as uncontrolled pain, suspected infection, or urinary obstruction, which isn’t implied by uncomplicated stone evaluation. A urinary catheter isn’t routinely needed unless there’s obstruction or urinary retention. Starting hemodialysis is not a treatment for stones and would indicate severe kidney failure or another condition, not a routine stone episode.