Article type
Abstract
Introduction and Objectives:
Readmission for patients with heart failure (HF) is associated with adequate transitional care. Transitional care is key to patient education, individualized planning, continuity of care, and close collaboration among the multidisciplinary health care providers involved with the patient. This project aimed to promote evidence-based practice (EBP) for increasing staff compliance with transitional care for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and ensuring timely, relevant, and structured transitional care provided by a multidisciplinary team.
Methods:
The current evidence implementation project was conducted for multidisciplinary staff providing health care service to patients with CHF at a tertiary hospital in Japan. A clinical audit was undertaken using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (PACES) and the Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) approach. Six audit criteria that represented best practice recommendations for prevention of early re-hospitalization were used.
Results:
The baseline audit showed that only one audit criterion had a compliance rate of 100%, which indicated poor compliance with the current evidence. Following project implementation, nursing staff were educated about a discharge plan for patients. Only Criterion 2 had an improved compliance rate. The other criteria had the same or slightly lower compliance rates at follow-up.
Conclusions:
There was increased awareness of best practices regarding transitional care for CHF among the multidisciplinary staff. We require further implementation to maintain the sustainability, such as developing a screening tool for high-risk patients and a multidisciplinary communications tool.
Readmission for patients with heart failure (HF) is associated with adequate transitional care. Transitional care is key to patient education, individualized planning, continuity of care, and close collaboration among the multidisciplinary health care providers involved with the patient. This project aimed to promote evidence-based practice (EBP) for increasing staff compliance with transitional care for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and ensuring timely, relevant, and structured transitional care provided by a multidisciplinary team.
Methods:
The current evidence implementation project was conducted for multidisciplinary staff providing health care service to patients with CHF at a tertiary hospital in Japan. A clinical audit was undertaken using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (PACES) and the Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) approach. Six audit criteria that represented best practice recommendations for prevention of early re-hospitalization were used.
Results:
The baseline audit showed that only one audit criterion had a compliance rate of 100%, which indicated poor compliance with the current evidence. Following project implementation, nursing staff were educated about a discharge plan for patients. Only Criterion 2 had an improved compliance rate. The other criteria had the same or slightly lower compliance rates at follow-up.
Conclusions:
There was increased awareness of best practices regarding transitional care for CHF among the multidisciplinary staff. We require further implementation to maintain the sustainability, such as developing a screening tool for high-risk patients and a multidisciplinary communications tool.