Validation of patient and nurse short forms of the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale and their relationship to return to the hospital

Abstract

Objective: To validate patient and nurse short forms for discharge readiness assessment and their associations with 30-day readmissions and emergency department (ED) visits.

Data sources/study setting: A total of 254 adult medical-surgical patients and their discharging nurses from an Eastern US tertiary hospital between May and November, 2011.

Study design: Prospective longitudinal design, multinomial logistic regression analysis.

Data collection/extraction methods: Nurses and patients independently completed an eight-item Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale on the day of discharge. Patient characteristics, readmissions, and ED visits were electronically abstracted.

Principal findings: Nurse assessment of low discharge readiness was associated with a six- to nine-fold increase in readmission risk. Patient self-assessment was not associated with readmission; neither was associated with ED visits.

Conclusions: Nurse discharge readiness assessment should be added to existing strategies for identifying readmission risk.

Keywords: Discharge readiness; emergency visits; readmissions.

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