TY - JOUR
T1 - Readiness for hospital discharge
T2 - A concept analysis
AU - Galvin, Eileen Catherine
AU - Wills, Teresa
AU - Coffey, Alice
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
PY - 2017/11
Y1 - 2017/11
N2 - Aim: To report on an analysis on the concept of ‘readiness for hospital discharge’. Background: No uniform operational definition of ‘readiness for hospital discharge’ exists in the literature; therefore, a concept analysis is required to clarify the concept and identify an up-to-date understanding of readiness for hospital discharge. Clarity of the concept will identify all uses of the concept; provide conceptual clarity, an operational definition and direction for further research. Design: Literature review and concept analysis. Method: A review of literature was conducted in 2016. Databases searched were: Academic Search Complete, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, PsycARTICLES, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, PsycINFO, Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson) and SocINDEX with Full Text. No date limits were applied. Results: Identification of the attributes, antecedents and consequences of readiness for hospital discharge led to an operational definition of the concept. The following attributes belonging to ‘readiness for hospital discharge’ were extracted from the literature: physical stability, adequate support, psychological ability, and adequate information and knowledge. Conclusion: This analysis contributes to the advancement of knowledge in the area of hospital discharge, by proposing an operational definition of readiness for hospital discharge, derived from the literature. A better understanding of the phenomenon will assist healthcare professionals to recognize, measure and implement interventions where necessary, to ensure patients are ready for hospital discharge and assist in the advancement of knowledge for all professionals involved in patient discharge from hospital.
AB - Aim: To report on an analysis on the concept of ‘readiness for hospital discharge’. Background: No uniform operational definition of ‘readiness for hospital discharge’ exists in the literature; therefore, a concept analysis is required to clarify the concept and identify an up-to-date understanding of readiness for hospital discharge. Clarity of the concept will identify all uses of the concept; provide conceptual clarity, an operational definition and direction for further research. Design: Literature review and concept analysis. Method: A review of literature was conducted in 2016. Databases searched were: Academic Search Complete, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, PsycARTICLES, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, PsycINFO, Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson) and SocINDEX with Full Text. No date limits were applied. Results: Identification of the attributes, antecedents and consequences of readiness for hospital discharge led to an operational definition of the concept. The following attributes belonging to ‘readiness for hospital discharge’ were extracted from the literature: physical stability, adequate support, psychological ability, and adequate information and knowledge. Conclusion: This analysis contributes to the advancement of knowledge in the area of hospital discharge, by proposing an operational definition of readiness for hospital discharge, derived from the literature. A better understanding of the phenomenon will assist healthcare professionals to recognize, measure and implement interventions where necessary, to ensure patients are ready for hospital discharge and assist in the advancement of knowledge for all professionals involved in patient discharge from hospital.
KW - concept
KW - discharge
KW - health care
KW - hospital
KW - nursing
KW - prepared
KW - readiness
KW - theory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85020124727&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/jan.13324
DO - 10.1111/jan.13324
M3 - Article
C2 - 28440958
AN - SCOPUS:85020124727
SN - 0309-2402
VL - 73
SP - 2547
EP - 2557
JO - Journal of Advanced Nursing
JF - Journal of Advanced Nursing
IS - 11
ER -