Teach-Back Discharge Education to Improve Self-Care and Reduce 30-Day Readmissions in Heart Failure Patients

NCT ID: NCT07280208

Last Updated: 2025-12-12

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 57 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-09-11
• Study Completion Date: 2025-11-10

Brief Summary

This study aims to improve how patients with heart failure understand and manage their condition after leaving the hospital. Many heart failure patients are readmitted within 30 days due to confusion about their discharge instructions and difficulty following self-care routines. The study will test whether a structured discharge education session using the "teach-back" method-where patients repeat instructions in their own words-can help improve their knowledge and self-care behaviors. The goal is to reduce hospital readmissions and help patients feel more confident managing their heart failure at home.

Detailed Description

Heart failure is a chronic and progressive condition affecting millions of adults in the United States. Despite advances in treatment, nearly one in four patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge, often due to poor understanding of discharge instructions and inadequate self-care. These readmissions contribute to worse health outcomes and increased healthcare costs.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a structured discharge education intervention using the teach-back method. The teach-back method is a communication technique in which patients are asked to repeat discharge instructions in their own words. This approach helps confirm understanding, reinforce learning, and promote active engagement in self-care.

The study uses a quasi-experimental, pre-test/post-test design to assess changes in patients' knowledge and self-care behaviors before and after the intervention. Participants are adults hospitalized with systolic heart failure (LVEF ≤ 40%) who meet specific clinical criteria. Each participant receives a 30-minute individualized education session at discharge, covering key self-care topics such as medication adherence, symptom monitoring, fluid restriction, and dietary modifications. Printed educational materials from the American Heart Association are also provided.

To measure outcomes, participants complete the European Heart Failure Self-care Behavior Scale (EHFScB-9) before and after the intervention. Thirty-day readmission data are collected through a retrospective review of hospital records. The study aims to determine whether teach-back education improves self-care behaviors and reduces 30-day readmission rates.

This project has been reviewed and exempted by the Nova Southeastern University Institutional Review Board under Exempt Category 2. It aligns with national goals to improve patient education, reduce preventable readmissions, and enhance the quality of care for individuals with heart failure.

Conditions

Heart Failure; Heart Failure Hospitalization; Readmission, Hospital

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Teach-Back Education Intervention

Participants in this arm will receive a structured discharge education session using the teach-back method. The session will be delivered in person at hospital discharge and will cover key heart failure self-care behaviors, including medication adherence, symptom monitoring, fluid restriction, and dietary modifications. Participants will be asked to restate instructions in their own words to confirm understanding. Printed educational materials from the American Heart Association will also be provided.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Teach-Back Discharge Education

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

A structured, 30-minute discharge education session delivered in person using the teach-back method. Participants are asked to restate instructions in their own words to confirm understanding. The session covers key heart failure self-care behaviors including medication adherence, symptom monitoring, fluid restriction, and dietary modifications. Printed educational materials from the American Heart Association are also provided.

Interventions

Teach-Back Discharge Education

A structured, 30-minute discharge education session delivered in person using the teach-back method. Participants are asked to restate instructions in their own words to confirm understanding. The session covers key heart failure self-care behaviors including medication adherence, symptom monitoring, fluid restriction, and dietary modifications. Printed educational materials from the American Heart Association are also provided.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Adults aged 18 years and older
• Diagnosed with systolic heart failure with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 40%
• Classified as New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II, III, or IV
• Categorized as American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Stage C or D
• Currently hospitalized at the project site
• Able to read and understand English at an 8th grade reading level
• Have access to a smartphone or tablet capable of scanning QR codes and connecting to the internet
• Provide voluntary informed consent via the REDCap platform

Exclusion Criteria

• Cognitive impairment
• Non-English speaking
• Unwilling to participate

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Nova Southeastern University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Sara Bierschenk

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Virginia Waters, Ph.D., MSN, MBA, RN, CNE-BC

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Nova Southeastern University, Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing

Locations

HCA Florida JFK Hospital

Atlantis, Florida, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

2025-398

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id