ASSESSMENT OF THE READINESS OF THE PATIENTS WHO DISCHARGE AFTER MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION AT PUBLIC SECTOR HOSPITAL PESHAWAR, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA(KPK). A QUANTITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

The study assessed the patient's readiness for discharge to facilitate an uneventful shift from the hospital to home. Patient perspectives play a key role in the discharge process. since post-discharge self-care is important to prevent readmissions, emphasizing the need for supporting measures to reduce healthcare costs and reduce patient risks. Patient readiness for discharge is critical and it is not generally assessed in Pakistan. Since high prevalence of Myocardial Infarction (MI) in Pakistan highlights the need for assessing the discharge readiness. The study assessed discharge readiness and its linked factors in MI patients in a public sector hospital in Peshawar and explored demographic impact on readiness. The study employed a quantitative cross-sectional analytical approach, enrolling 360 post-MI patients using non-probability convenient sampling at a public sector hospital in Peshawar. The readiness for Hospital Discharge after the Myocardial Infarction Scale (RHD-MIS) was used to evaluate patient's readiness for hospital discharge after MI. The study, using descriptive and Chi square analysis, found that majority of the participants (49%, n=176) had medium readiness, (19%, n=68) had poor readiness, and (32%, n=116) had high readiness for discharge. Patients over 50 years of age with better socioeconomic backgrounds, living in a relationship with a history of previous cardiac diagnosis, comorbidity, and treatment were more ready for discharge. The study recommends that assessment of discharge readiness should be a component of the discharge process at the hospital setting. Discharge education must begin prior to discharge decision, with regular lessons taught on daily basis. This strategy could lead the way for the development of a new position for an Advanced Practitioner Nurse (APN) who specializes in the discharge process. Future research can include longitudinal studies that correlate discharge readiness to readmission rates, following the assessment of the efficacy of discharge strategies over time in both private and public hospitals.