Final answer:
Discharge planning primarily aims to provide continuity of care that is goal-directed option (a), ensuring a smooth transition between healthcare settings and coordinating the client's future care. Assessment of the client's health status is crucial but is more a nursing responsibility throughout the care process, rather than the central objective of discharge planning.
Step-by-step explanation:
The purpose of discharge planning is indeed multifaceted, but its core goal can be articulated as ensuring continuity option (a) and coherence in care as patients transition between different levels or settings of healthcare. While all the options provided have elements of truth, the best description encapsulates multiple facets: providing continuity of care that is goal-directed, ensuring a smooth and safe transition between different health care settings, and coordinating future care for the client.
Therefore, while assessing the client's health status is an important part of the process, it is more of an ongoing nursing responsibility than the primary goal of discharge planning. As such, the most comprehensive option would be a combination of a, b, and c, which together describe the overall purpose of discharge planning. This process involves drawing up an individualized discharge plan in conjunction with the client, which often includes arranging for necessary services, educating the patient and their family, and scheduling follow-up care.