Reducing Re-hospitalizations of Patients with Heart Failure at a Skilled Nursing Facility

Authors

Louis D'Onofrio Jr., University of Arkansas, FayettevilleFollow

Date of Graduation

5-2019

Document Type

Capstone

Keywords

Heart Failure; Re-hospitalizations; Skilled nursing facilities; Quality improvement

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Degree Level

Graduate

Advisor/Mentor

Casida, Jessie

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to introduce the quality improvement (QI) process to reduce re-hospitalization rates in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) in Stratford, Connecticut for patients having a diagnosis of heart failure (HF). After reviewing the data from the nursing facility for re-hospitalization rates over a three-month period, it was discovered that 22% of patients at the SNF were re-hospitalized within 30 days. Of this population of patients, 22.9% had a diagnosis or complication of HF, which is associated with the highest re-hospitalization rates. This QI project focused on HF education customized towards nursing and nursing assistant staff in order to reduce rates of heart-failure-associated re-hospitalization. The education sessions included ways to identify, prevent, and manage HF. Analysis revealed the rate of completed daily weights for patients with HF increased to 54%, the readmission rate of patients in the HF cohort reduced by 1.5%.

Citation

D'Onofrio, L. (2019). Reducing Re-hospitalizations of Patients with Heart Failure at a Skilled Nursing Facility. The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Capstone Projects. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/nursstudent/2