Abstract

Hospital readmission after major abdominal and colorectal surgeries is a complex phenomenon that impacts the quality and affordability of healthcare. A comprehensive review of the literature after implementation of the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program in 2012 revealed a paucity in studies that analyzed patients' perceptions regarding the phenomenon of readmission. In addition, there is a need for randomized trials that assess the impact of interventions on the rate of readmission among complex surgical patients. A mixed-methods study was conducted to combine descriptive factors impacting hospital readmission with patients' perceptions to produce meaningful data. The results indicated that although discharge education is documented 100% of the time, patients expressed a lack of understanding about recovery and post-operative care. Some patients expressed a sense of vulnerability as they struggled managing the new wound, tubes, or drains. In addition, although majority of patients had home healthcare services arranged, patients expressed during the semi-structured interviews that either the services provided were inadequate or they lacked sufficient information to provide personalized care. That said, conducting a qualitative study in an acute care setting could pose challenges to a novice researcher. The final chapter on tips and strategies to conduct semi-structured interviews amidst a pandemic demonstrates pragmatic value as it combines steps provided in textbooks along with experience learned from conducting such interviews.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2021

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Neff, Donna

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Nursing

Department

Nursing

Degree Program

Nursing

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0009127; DP0026460

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0026460

Language

English

Release Date

February 2023

Length of Campus-only Access

1 year

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

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Included in

Nursing Commons

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