IMPACT OF NURSING DISCHARGE INSTRUCTIONS ON READMISSION RATE IN HEART FAILURE PATIENTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Objective: To assess the impact of nursing discharge instructions onreadmission rate in heart failure patients at tertiary care hospital of Karachi.

Methodology: A quasi experimental study was conducted and patients sufferingwith heart disease admitted in National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases wereselected in the study from 1st January to 31st December 2017. Patients weredivided into two groups. In intervention group, discharge instruction and teachingmaterialwas given alongwith followup through for guidance a suitable interval toreduce the complications.Readmission rate determined at 7th day and 30th day. Whereas for control group,only discharged instructions under existing routine process were given. The datawas analyzed through SPSS version 21. Wilcox on Matched signed Rank test andMann Whitney U test was used to compare the data whereas demographic datawas compared through chi-square test.

Results: A total of 80 patients were included in the study, 40 in each group.interventional and control of the disease assessed at base line, at 7 day and at 30 thday was found more in interventional group with less readmission rate ascompared to control group (15 i.e. 37.5% in control group and 5 i.e.12.5% ininterventional group). Regarding medication and proper management of theirillness (self-care), the interventional group has high level of competencyregarding their management for their disease and routine life caring (12.5% incontrol group and 70% in interventional group) and the difference was foundstatistically significant.

Conclusion: Educating the heart failure patients at discharge, 7 day and 30 day th thpost discharge reduce the complication and re admissions in these patients.