Readiness for Hospital Discharge and 30‑Day Unplanned Readmission in Older Adult Sepsis Survivors from Internal Medicine Wards: A Cross‑Sectional Study

Shuting Hou, Liqin Wei, Yanting Gong, Qin Tang, Qiuru Huang, Huan Li Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University/ West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Huan Li, Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University/ West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, 37 Guoxue Alley, Wuhou District, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: To investigate discharge readiness among older adult sepsis survivors and its influencing factors, and to explore the relationship with 30-day unplanned readmission.Methods: From May 2024 to May 2025, a cohort of 330 older adult sepsis survivors was recruited from an infectious disease center in China. Before discharge, participants completed questionnaires on demographic and disease characteristics, the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RHDS), and the Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale (QDTS). A follow-up survey on the 30-day unplanned readmission was subsequently conducted. The data were analyzed using Spearman correlation and multiple linear regression.Results: The mean scores for RHDS and QDTS were 93.54 ± 19.96 and 155.21 ± 24.57. RHDS was primarily influenced by the QDTS, length of hospitalization, medical expenses payment, and general self-efficacy, which together explained 43.0% of the variance. Lower discharge readiness was associated with a higher risk of unplanned readmission within 30 days.Conclusion: The readiness for hospital discharge of older adult sepsis survivors is moderate and influenced by multiple factors, with the quality of discharge teaching being particularly significant. Higher levels of discharge readiness are associated with a lower rate of unplanned readmission.Keywords: sepsis, readiness for hospital discharge, quality of discharge teaching, unplanned readmission