Correlation between discharge readiness and quality of discharge instructions in Chinese pediatric liver transplant parents

Introduction: The objective is to examine the present state of preparedness for discharge and the quality of discharge instructions provided to parents of pediatric liver transplant patients and to investigate the relationship between these two factors. Methods: A total of 103 pediatric liver transplant patients from the Organ Transplantation Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University were chosen as the participants for this study. The study involved administering questionnaires, including a general information questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Discharge Readiness Scale, and the Discharge Guidance Quality Scale. Results: The overall readiness score for parents of children who underwent liver transplants was 76.91±22.01, with a mean score of 6.41±1.83. The total quality of discharge instruction for these parents was 122.56±23.56, with a mean score of 5.11±0.98. The readiness scores of these parents were positively correlated with the total score of discharge instruction quality (r=0.651, P<0.001), the content obtained (r=0.672, P<0.001), and the presentation skills and effectiveness (r=0.588, P<0.001). Conclusion: The caliber of nurses' discharge instructions directly influences parents' preparedness for hospital release and predicts readmission risk. Consequently, enhancing the quality of nurses' discharge instructions is a paramount concern for enhancing children's health outcomes. Nurses should prioritize enhancing the quality of discharge counseling, evaluating the healthcare requirements of parents of pediatric liver transplant patients based on their current situations, and implementing tailored nursing interventions to enhance parents' preparedness for the patient's release.