Knowledge and Quality of Discharge Planning of Nursing Students Enrolling in Practicum Course of Nursing for Adults and Elders

Abstract

This classroom research aimed to examine the knowledge and quality of discharge planning in 144 third-year nursing students who enrolled in practicum course of nursing for adults and elders, Faculty of Nursing, Prince of Songkla University, Hat-Yai campus. Each group of 7-8 nursing students were assigned to self-study the contents and effective delivery methods of discharge planning to hospitalized patients. Students taught and suggested patients and their relatives to be ready for self-care when patients were discharged to go back home. Knowledge was evaluated before and after and quality of discharge planning was evaluated after the discharged planning activity using self-report of Knowledge and Quality of Discharge Planning Questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, and Pearson product moment correlation.
The results showed that knowledge of discharge planning after activity of discharge planning was significantly higher than that before (p<.001). Quality of discharge planning was at the high level. However, no significant correlation was found between knowledge and quality of discharge planning (p = .56) This study indicates that direct experience of doing discharge planning activity could enhance learning process in care for patients; therefore, this discharge planning activity is suggested to be included into the practicum course of nursing for adults and elders.