Nurses discharge instructions in selected hospitals of Cotabato province and their patients continuity of care at home

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study sought to investigate the quality of nurses' discharge instructions and patients' continuity of care at home by self and others in selected hospitals of Cotabato province. Specifically, it evaluated the quality of discharge instructions of the respondent nurses and the continuity of care at home and determined whether they differ in terms of the type of illness and hospital classifications. The present investigation utilized the descriptive correlational method of research. The result showed that the quality of discharge instructions was very satisfactory in terms of the assessment, planning and implementation. The quality of continuity of care at home was very satisfactory in terms of; medications, economic consideration of therapy, demonstration of treatments and procedures, health education/seeking behavior and in the diet and exercise. For the OPD clinic check ups, the responses were excellent. Furthermore, there is no significant difference in the quality of discharge instructions as analyzed by type of illness. This study further revealed that there is a significant difference in the quality of discharge instructions when analyzed by hospital classification in terms of the Assessment of the patients' condition and in the Implementation. Nevertheless, it also revealed that there is no significant difference in the nurses' planning of the discharge instructions both in the quality of continuity of care when analyzed by type of illness as well as by hospital classification. Finally, there is a definite but low correlation between the quality of discharge instructions rendered by the nurses and in the quality of continuity of care at home by the patients and their family.