Effectiveness of a nursing training intervention in complex chronic patients

OBJECTIVETo evaluate whether a training intervention performed by nursing professionals in complex chronic patients, during hospitalisation in an internal medicine service, can modify the pattern of readmissions or reduce their number. METHODPragmatic clinical trial of a nursing training intervention vs. habitual performance. For the intervention group, a training plan in care was designed, personalised for each patient, according to the needs detected in a first interview. The intervention was extended during the time of admission and a contact phone was available after discharge to resolve doubts. RESULTSAmong the 498 patients interviewed initially, 131 were excluded because they were not a complex chronic patient or because they found no deficiencies in their training or care. One patient (.20%) did not agree to participate and there were no dropouts. Of the 366 participants, 190 were included in the intervention group and 176 in the control group. In the first 8 days after discharge, 2 (1.05%) patients from the intervention group and 8 (4.54%) from the control group were re-admitted (p=.05). In the first 30 days after discharge, 26 patients (13.70%) and 33 patients (18.75%) respectively (p=.10) were readmitted. CONCLUSIONSThis study shows how a nursing training intervention during hospitalisation in Internal Medicine in complex chronic patients reduces short-term readmissions.