Does the use of standardized teach-back methodology educational materials improve self-care knowledge, confidence, and reduce readmissions in home care patients with heart failure?
Implementing standardized teach-back educational materials for heart failure patients in home care improves self-care maintenance and may help prevent hospital readmissions.
Heart failure patients seen in the outpatient home care setting and in cardiology clinics have repeated emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and readmissions despite receiving education about their medications diet and self-care interventions such as daily weights. The objective of this evidence-based practice change was to determine, in home care patients, whether the use of standardized teach-back methodology educational materials would improve their knowledge and confidence in the self-care of their chronic disease. Of the 22 patients enrolled, 15 were not readmitted to the hospital within 9 months of home care admission. The Self-Care of Heart Failure Index revealed an improvement in patient and caregiver contributions to heart failure self-care maintenance (daily adherence and symptom monitoring). The findings suggest that engaging patients by increasing their knowledge of their disease and their self-confidence can reduce hospitalizations and subsequent readmissions.
Lay et al. (Tue,) studied this question.