Final answer:
A tertiary referral is used to discharge a stroke patient to a skilled nursing facility for physical therapy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of nursing referral used to discharge a client who experienced a stroke to a skilled nursing facility for physical therapy is a tertiary referral.
A tertiary referral typically involves transferring a patient from one healthcare setting to another for specialized care and treatment. In this case, the client is being referred to a skilled nursing facility for physical therapy, which falls under specialized care.
It is important to note that a tertiary referral may also be used when a patient's condition requires more specialized services that are not available at the current healthcare facility.