Readmission rates for patients with congestive heart failure : a home based self-care education program

Disease management after discharge from the hospital is essential for patients suffering from the debilitating effects of congestive heart failure (CHF). Congestive heart failure is the leading cause of hospital admissions and a frequent cause of readmission (Rutledge,2001). The purpose of this study is to compare hospital readmission rates and self care practices that vary with the type of educational programs for CHF, one group that has the traditional hospital discharge educational program and the other group that has the home-based self-care focused program. Self-care practices of 150 participants admitted and discharged from a Midwestern hospital with a diagnosis of CHF will be monitored for a period of 2 years. The treatment group will participate in services provided by outpatient CHF clinics and home health care services and the comparison group will have traditional hospital discharge planning and education. Instruments to be used are the Revised Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale and the Heart Failure Knowledge Test. Findings will provide information about self-care practices and the impact on hospital readmission rates.School of Nursing"December 2006."Thesis (M.S.