Graduation Year

2025

Document Type

Senior Thesis

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Primary Major

Nursing

Thesis Advisor

Andrea Boyle, PhD, FNAP, ANP

Abstract

Noncompliance can be a result of a lack of comprehension of discharge instructions and a lack of concise, effective educational resources. Due to this deficit, patients with heart failure are less likely to comply with their discharge protocol and are therefore more likely to be readmitted to the hospital. The aim of the study is to consolidate a teaching method that accommodates one's existing educational barriers, implement follow-up to increase knowledge retention and improve self care, and prevent readmission among HF patients. Two hundred hospitalized, English-speaking patients with heart failure above 65 years old across 20 US Hospitals will be nominated by their cardiologist to participate. In this quantitative, quasi-experimental study, both the control and intervention groups will be assessed for their knowledge about heart failure using the AHFKT and their ability to perform self care at discharge using the SCHFI. The intervention group will receive a 30 minute one-on-one session with their nurse to go over a summary of their discharge packet, review their specific medications, and receive a medication and daily weight log. After two weeks, patients in the intervention group will have a telephone appointment in which their provider will follow-up to review the discharge packet for clarification and reinforcement, address presence of pertinent symptoms and management, and reconcile medications. After 30 days, both groups will be reassessed for their AHFKT and SCHFI scores as well as monitored for history of readmission. With better education materials and the implementation of follow-up, it is expected that patients will better understand their plan of care, abide by their self-care regimen, and decrease the likelihood of hospital readmission.

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