READI (Readiness Evaluation And Discharge Interventions) Study

Summary

Preparation of patients for discharge is a primary function of hospital-based nursing care and readiness for discharge is an important outcome of hospital care. Inadequacies in discharge preparation have been well-documented and linked to difficulty with self-management after hospital discharge and with increased likelihood of emergency department (ED) use and readmission. Prior studies by the research team have led to recommendations for implementation of discharge readiness assessment as a standard nursing practice for hospital discharge.

The investigators will conduct a multi-site study to determine the impact on post-discharge utilization (readmission and ED visits) and costs of implementing discharge readiness assessment as a standard nursing practice for adult medical-surgical patients discharged to home. The study tests, in a stepped approach, the impact of implementing discharge readiness assessment by the discharging nurse as standard nursing practice (RN-RHDS protocol), the incremental value of informing the nurse assessment with the patient's perspective (RN-RHDS+PT-RHDS protocol), and of requiring that the nurse initiates and documents risk-mitigating actions for patients with low readiness scores (RN-RHDS+PT-RHDS+NIAF protocol).

HYPOTHESIS 1: Patients discharged using the RN-RHDS protocol will have fewer hospital readmissions and ED visits within 30 days post-discharge compared to patients discharged under usual care conditions.

HYPOTHESIS 2: Patients discharged using the RN-RHDS+PT-RHDS protocol will have fewer hospital readmissions and ED visits within 30 days post-discharge compared to patients discharged using the RN-RHDS protocol.

HYPOTHESIS 3: Patients discharged by nurses using the RN-RHDS+PT-RHDS protocol plus a Nurse-Initiated Action Form \[NIAF\] (RN-RHDS+PT-RHDS+NIAF protocol) will have fewer post-discharge readmissions and ED visits than patients discharged using the RN-RHDS+PT-RHDS protocol; the effect will be strongest for patients with low RHDS scores.

Aim 4: Conduct cost-benefit analysis of implementing discharge readiness assessment as standard practice, by comparing cost-savings from reduced post-discharge utilization against implementation costs.

Conditions

• Discharge Transition of Patients Discharged to Home

Interventions

OTHER

RN-RHDS protocol

The discharging nurse assesses each patient being discharged home using the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RN version)

OTHER

RN-RHDS+PT-RHDS protocol

The discharging nurse obtains and reviews patient self-report of discharge readiness using the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale - Patient version and then completes the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RN version)

OTHER

RN-RHDS + PT-RHDS + NIAF

The discharging nurse assesses each patient being discharged home using the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RN version)after reviewing the patients self-perception of discharge readiness (PT-RHDS) and then records any actions taken in response to the discharge readiness assessment on the Nurse Initiated Action form (NIAF). When any item on the RN-RHDS is less than 7, an action is required.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Marquette University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Marianne Weiss, DNSc · Marquette University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2014-07-31

Primary Completion

2017-08-31

Completion

2017-12-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations