Effect of telenursing on prevention of readmission in patients with heart failure: A systematic review

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the impact of telenursing on preventing hospital readmissions in patients with heart failure (HF). A comprehensive search was conducted across international databases, including Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar search engine, from the earliest available records to September 13, 2024, using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms such as "telenursing", "readmission", and "heart failure". The quality of the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies was appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist. A total of 369 HF patients participated in five studies. Among these patients, 62.83% were male, and 80.76% were in the intervention group. The mean age of the participants was 67.55 (SD=12.18) years. Of the included studies, two were quasi-experimental, while three were RCTs. The studies were conducted in various locations: two in Iran, one in the United States, one in Japan, and one in Thailand. All studies employed a readmission checklist to assess patient readmission rates. The mean study duration and follow-up period were 67 and 19 weeks, respectively. In four of the studies, telenursing was found to be effective in reducing patient readmission rates. However, one study reported that telephone conversations did not lead to a reduction in the readmission rate of patients. The results indicated that healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, can effectively utilize telenursing to reduce readmission rates among patients with HF. It is recommended that healthcare managers and policymakers facilitate the integration of telenursing in hospitals, enabling nurses and other healthcare professionals to reduce readmission rates for patients with HF.