How to train patients before discharge to avoid readmissions?

 

Recent research studies and surveys have found a clear correlation between healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and the higher rate of hospital readmissions. During hospitalization, patients are more likely to be exposed to a large number of pathogens including viruses, fungi, and bacteria.

Hence, the risk of infections during hospitalization is very high. After patients are discharged, they are advised to use medications, which often include antibiotics or antiviral drugs, as a part of the treatment for which they were admitted to the hospital. These medications protect them against infections during their hospital stay.

However, in some cases, especially when the patient’s immunity is weak due to a serious acute or chronic disorder, the infection may flare up once the course of antibiotics or antiviral drugs is over. The immune system of the patients may not be able to fight the pathogens harboring in the body. This can increase the risk of infections and even lead to other complications that can necessitate hospital readmission.

According to research studies, the average period until readmission for patients with infections is about 27 days, while the same for the uninfected patients is 59 days.

This suggests that infection is the major cause of hospital readmissions. It is possible to avoid the need for readmission by training and educating the patients about the factors that can put them at risk of infections and how to avoid them. The responsibility of educating the patients lies primarily with the physicians and nurses.

The ultimate goal of the training is to increase the overall quality of care and make hospitals more efficient. Reducing hospital readmissions would decrease the number of patients admitted to a hospital and thus, reduce the work pressure on nurses. It may also reduce Medicare reimbursement claims to a great extent. Hence, it is important for healthcare practitioners to be aware of the need to train their patients and their families before discharge.

If you want to learn more about how to reduce hospital readmissions, you can attend the ‘2 NURSING CONTACT HOUR LIVE WEBINAR ON REDUCING READMISSIONS AND THE ETHICAL CHALLENGES’ on 14th October 2020 at 6 pm.

This webinar is conducted by ATECAM LLC, an approved provider of NCPD (Nursing Continuing Professional Development) by the Nurses Association Approver Unit in the Pennsylvania State.

The nursing contact hours online will be awarded after the webinar to all attendees including the nurses outside of Pennsylvania.

Nursing webinars, Delaware,are aimed at educating and training nurses about the challenges faced by them while working in hospitals. We will focus on common issues like the high rate of hospital readmissions, which is considered a key quality measure of healthcare services given it represents potentially preventable adverse consequences. 

You will learn about the ethical issues posed due to unaffordable diagnostic methods. You can also talk to our panel of expert physicians and ask questions.

Join the webinar to learn how to overcome the common challenges faced by nurses and healthcare practitioners due to hospital readmission.


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