Effect of implementing discharge plan on health outcomes of the adult congestive heart failure patients

Abstract

Background: Congestive heart failure (CHF) prompt discharge nursing planning is aimed to expand knowledge concerning CHF, promote self-care practices, improve clinical outcomes and minimize readmission. Objective: Determination of the effect of implementing discharge plan on health outcomes of the adult CHF patients. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at the Inpatient Cardiology Department, Alexandria Main University Hospital and its affiliated Outpatient Cardiac Clinic. A convenience sample of seventy hospitalized CHF patients, who were sequentially divided into 2 equal groups; control group: exposed to routine hospital care and study group: received the discharge plan. Four tools were used; Tool I: Congestive Heart Failure Patients’ Nursing Assessment, Tool II: Atlanta Heart Failure Knowledge Test, Tool III: Congestive Heart Failure Health Outcome Indicators and Tool IV: Self-Care of Heart Failure Index. Results: There was significant difference between the two studied groups in relation to overall CHF knowledge mean scores after implementing the discharge plan. A statistical significant difference was noticed between the studied group’s patients in relation to overall mean scores of self-care maintenance scale, self-care management scale, and self-care confidence scale. Conclusion: Implementing the developed discharge plan has significantly improved the overall knowledge, self-care practice confidence of adult CHF patients.