An exploration of the discharge readiness of cerebrovascular disease patients and related factors conducted at two-weeks post-discharge

Background: Discharge planning services have been shown to increase the quality of patient care and to help patients better handle care‐related issues. However, the literature related to patient readiness for discharge and its related factors is scarce. Purpose: This study was designed to explore the discharge readiness of patients with cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and the factors related to this readiness. Methods: Using a cross‐sectional study design, 304 CVD patients were recruited from a medical center in southern Taiwan. The structural questionnaire of the Chinese version of the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RHDS‐C) was used to collect data. Results: A total of 91.4% participants reported at two‐weeks post‐discharge that they perceived at least a middle level of pre‐discharge preparation for discharge. The top three subscales scores for discharge readiness were: expected support, personal status, and coping ability. The regression model indicated that six predictors, including living alone, living with families after discharge, limb hemiplegia, Modified Rankin Scale score, Karn of sky level 0 to 2, and with tube in dwelling, contributed significantly to discharge readiness, accounting for 63.0% of the total variance. Conclusions / Implications for Practice: The results of the present study assist healthcare professionals to understand the predictors of discharge readiness. Healthcare providers should provide professional education and information to CVD patients and promote discharge readiness among their patients during admission and discharge assessment periods. The present study suggests that the self‐perceived discharge readiness of patients may be used to evaluate patient discharge readiness prior to discharge in order to ensure that patients are well prepared when they are eventually discharged.