The association between patient‐reported readiness for hospital discharge and outcomes in patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders: A prospective and observational study
Authors: Meng Na , Liu Ruian , Wong Mengmeng , Liao Jingping , Feng Chi , Li Xiaolin 
Published: January 2020

Accessible summary

What is known on the subject?

Readiness for hospital discharge (RHD) has been an important topic for nurses.

RHD can be measured by the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RHDS), including 4 subscales: personal status, knowledge, coping ability and expected support.

There are few studies that focus on RHD in patients diagnosed with mental disorders.

What does the paper add to existing knowledge?

Improving patient‐reported RHD can decrease the risks of unscheduled post‐discharge clinic visits, readmission and poor quality of life (QOL) in patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders.

Improving patient‐reported personal status can decrease the risk of poor QOL in patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders.

Improving patient‐reported knowledge can decrease the risks of unscheduled post‐discharge clinic visits and readmission in patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders.

Improving patient‐reported expected support can decrease the risk of unscheduled post‐discharge clinic visits in patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders.

Improving the methods of discharge teaching and anxiety severity can enhance RHD in patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders.

What are the implications for practice?

Nurses could enhance patient‐reported RHD to reduce unscheduled post‐discharge medical resource utilization or improve QOL by facilitating knowledge acquisition and skill development and improving social support systems.

Nurse managers could add RHD assessment to patients' discharge process and train nurses in the methods of discharge education.

Nurses could advance their methods of discharge education, such as listening to and answering patients' questions, choosing a convenient time and engaging in online education.

Introduction

The association between readiness for hospital discharge (RHD) and post‐discharge outcomes remains unclear in individuals with anxiety disorders.

Aim

To explore the factors of RHD and the effect of patient‐reported RHD on post‐discharge outcomes.

Method

In the observational study, 373 patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders completed the self‐administered Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RHDS) on discharge. After 30 days, phone interviews were conducted to collect data on post‐discharge outcomes, including self‐reported unscheduled medical service utilization, symptom severity and quality of life (QOL). Multiple logistic regression models were built to explore the relationships among sociodemographic characteristics, the RHDS and its subscales, and post‐discharge outcomes.

Results

The unscheduled clinic visits were significantly associated with low RHD, knowledge and expected support. Readmission was significantly associated with low RHD and knowledge. Poor QOL was significantly associated with low RHD and personal status. Delivery, received content and anxiety severity were the predictors of RHD.

Discussion

Improved RHD is associated with fewer unscheduled clinic visits and readmissions and better QOL. Enhancing discharge education can improve RHD.

Implications for practice

Nurses should enhance patient‐reported RHD to improve post‐discharge outcomes by advancing the quality of discharge education in patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders.