care of older adults

Item

Notes

Situation

The patients being discharged from our Cardiac floor with a diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) are unaware they need to weigh themselves daily. This is causing an increase in readmissions to the hospital.

Background

It is widely known that CHF patients have issues with water retention. Many are taking diuretics and some even have fluid restrictions. These medications and lifestyle modifications are meant to help ease the workload on the heart and prevent fluid overload.

Assessment

Our unit educator had her hours cut by the organization 6 months ago. Since that time, all new nurses hired on have not received the training regarding how to give proper discharge instructions.

Additionally, with supply chain shortages due to COVID, our unit stock of scales has been depleted and we are told scales are on a 4-month backorder. We need to ensure our patients without scales at home are sent home with scales.

Recommendation

Create a new orientation process which includes proper training of nurses to educate patients related to all commonly admitted diagnoses.

Find a new supplier for scales or allow patients to walk into their nearest medical facility and weigh themselves daily to monitor and trend their weights.

Ensure patients know to call their primary care provider if they have more than a 5 pound weight gain in a 7 day span.