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When discharging a patient from the hospital after a cardiac or respiratory illness it is important to determine the most suitable discharge plan. An assessment needs to be completed to make sure the patient is deemed safe to be discharged home, or to a non-acute setting. Assessment needs to consist of: Does the patient live alone, Is the patient able to perform daily activities, able to obtain medications and services, is the home suitable for patients’ conditions, and availability of transportation for follow up appointments. If any of these do not apply then the nurse needs to look into services that can assist patient with these needs. Discharging patients from the hospital can be challenging, but needs to be done properly to improve both the quality of life for patients and the financial wellbeing of health care facilities. Readmissions cost hospital facilities 15 to 20 billion dollars annually and there is a great need to prevent avoidable readmissions.
Numerous studies have shown that low patient participation in terms of adhering to recommended diet, exercise, and medication regimens is one of the primary reasons for high readmissions rates (Walker, 2017). To transition a patient back to self-care some resources might be needed. These resources can consist of walkers, canes, or wheelchairs for mobility or balance. Or, oxygen supplies and tanks to help make breathing easier. checking and making sure the patient has access to needed medication for illness, along with verifying patient has transportation to follow-up appointment. Education and handouts need to be provided with healthy eating habits, and things to avoid, like smoking and drinking alcohol. These instructions need to be verified they are understood and there are no language barriers preventing patient from learning. The patients need to be given every opportunity to a healthy recovery. By implementing these measures, we can reduce hospital readmissions.
