Having patients teach-back discharge information may help reduce their risk of readmission, according to a study in American Nurse Today.
Researchers held hour-long teach-back sessions with high-risk heart failure patients to study the effect of teach-backs on readmission. In the teach-back sessions, researchers discussed definitions, signs and symptoms of heart failure; how to manage heart failure at home; and the importance of properly adhering to medication and follow-up appointments. Researchers asked open-ended questions to patients throughout the teach-back sessions, and researchers shifted focus on the aspects patients understood less.
Thirteen percent of patients who received teach-back sessions were readmitted within 30 days, while 16.2 percent of all heart failure patients were readmitted within 30 days.
Researchers suggest the teach-back method allows healthcare providers to assess what patients understand and identify what they need more guidance on. They suggest it be incorporated throughout all points of a patient's care to ensure the patients understand their treatment plans.
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