Improving Discharge Understanding for Emergency Department Patients Through Implementation of Teach-Back Method
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Nursing
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
Emergency department return visits due to a lack of patient understanding at discharge is a widespread issue that taxes resources from other emergent patients. This paper aims to improve discharge understanding for patients in the emergency department and provide peer-reviewed research for the implementation of a policy-procedure change at Murray-Calloway County Hospital.
After a thorough review of literature posted in academic journals, the evidence shows that patients often do not understand their discharge instructions, including diagnosis, treatment, need for follow-up, and when to return to the emergency department. Other studies have examined different methods for improving discharge understanding, but the use of teach-back method was found to be an effective, simple implementation to improve understanding.
Patient lack of understanding of discharge instructions from the emergency department is an issue that is not a simple fix, as there are multitudes of factors that contribute to patients failing to understand the instructions. The teach-back method is a simplified approach that can be done to quickly assess understanding of key discharge instructions, as well as provide the opportunity for education of the patient. Through increasing the education and understanding of the patient, the nurses are improving the health outcomes of the patient by promoting follow-up care, identifying reasons to return to the emergency department, and helping the patient to understand what diagnosis was made during their admission.
Spring Scholars Week 2020 Event
Evidence Based Best Practices in Clinical Healthcare (Posters)
Improving Discharge Understanding for Emergency Department Patients Through Implementation of Teach-Back Method
Emergency department return visits due to a lack of patient understanding at discharge is a widespread issue that taxes resources from other emergent patients. This paper aims to improve discharge understanding for patients in the emergency department and provide peer-reviewed research for the implementation of a policy-procedure change at Murray-Calloway County Hospital.
After a thorough review of literature posted in academic journals, the evidence shows that patients often do not understand their discharge instructions, including diagnosis, treatment, need for follow-up, and when to return to the emergency department. Other studies have examined different methods for improving discharge understanding, but the use of teach-back method was found to be an effective, simple implementation to improve understanding.
Patient lack of understanding of discharge instructions from the emergency department is an issue that is not a simple fix, as there are multitudes of factors that contribute to patients failing to understand the instructions. The teach-back method is a simplified approach that can be done to quickly assess understanding of key discharge instructions, as well as provide the opportunity for education of the patient. Through increasing the education and understanding of the patient, the nurses are improving the health outcomes of the patient by promoting follow-up care, identifying reasons to return to the emergency department, and helping the patient to understand what diagnosis was made during their admission.