Authors (including presenting author) :
Cheng MY(1)(2), Lok YL(1)(2) ,Soong KH(1)(2) ,Tse LK(1)(2), Leung YM(1)(2)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Orthopaedic Rehabilitation, (2) Tai Po Hospital
Introduction :
Most DOR patients are elderly and have longer hospital stays. They will receive many different documents upon discharge. E.g. appointment sheets, referral letter, payment notice, etc.
These documents and information are complex and may not be easily handled by patients/caregivers.
Therefore, a well-structured Information Kit with all relevant documents in place can serve as a reminder to nurses and caregivers.
Objectives :
1) Facilitate patients/caregivers to have a clear understanding of the discharge documents.
2) Enhance communication between nurses and patients/caregivers to prevent legacy of documents.
3) Ensure correct identification of patients as all documents belong to the same person.
4) Remind nurses what kind of documents need to be prepared for patient’s discharge.
Methodology :
1) Established a workgroup which members included WM, APNs and frontline staff.
2) Decide the content and size of the information Kit.
3) Calculate half-year usage.
4) Search for a printing company.
5) Conduct evaluation after six months of implementation.
Result & Outcome :
Result The " Information Kit " has been implemented to all DOR wards since April 2019. All discharge documents are enclosed in the Kit. Staff satisfaction survey was performed after implementation of six months. Forty-two questionnaires from frontline nurses were received. Scores range from 1 to 5, higher scores indicate higher satisfaction. Nurses overall agree the information kit provides adequate information to patient / caregivers (mean: 4.57; 73.8% ) ; The kit can serve as a reminder or checklist for both nurses and patient / caregivers (mean: 4.64 ; 76.2% ); QR code helps to provide health information (mean:4.55; 73.8% ); The Information kit provides storage space for other relevant information (mean: 4.40; 69% ) and Nurses were willing to use the kit for better discharge communication tool (mean: 4.48; 73.8% ). Conclusion A well-structured Information kit enhances communication between patients/caregivers and nursing staff upon discharge. The structured document list makes it easy for patients to understand the contents of documents. It can also to provide more information and patients/caregivers to enhance the overall service.
