Cheyenne Pradere BSN, RN
The Impact of Stroke Prevention Clinics on Hospital Readmission after Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke Purpose: The purpose of this project was to identify the role SPCs have on hospital readmission with aims to: 1) examine readmission rates for patients discharged after an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, 2) identify if there is a reduction in readmission rates after SPC attendance, and 3) explore all-cause mortality and patient demographic information. Methods: A retrospective study design was performed for patients admitted between October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016. Charts were obtained from the electronic health records of an acute care hospital. Descriptive statistics were utilized to describe the demographic factors of the sample related to hospital readmission post stroke. Results: The charts for 280 patients were available for analysis and revealed an average readmission time of 11 days. Patients most at risk for readmission include patients discharged home with three or more comorbidities; most notably hypertension, lipidemia, and diabetes. SPC attendance information was unavailable for this study, and analysis on SPC impact on hospital readmission is ongoing. Discussion: This study indicates that patients discharged home after an IS with 3 or more medical conditions have a higher risk of death and re-hospitalization than patients with alternative discharge dispositions and less comorbidities. These findings coincide with current literature on stroke, and solidify the importance of stroke prevention by managing modifiable risk factors after discharge. Our study extends previous investigations by analyzing just how quickly patients are readmitted after stroke (calculating time between discharge and readmission). This approach allows for further insight on how soon post-stroke patients may need to follow-up after discharge. Conclusion: Stroke will remain one of the leading causes of death unless diligent clinical practice discovers systematic ways to encourage lifestyle modifications to prevent further illness. Strong collaborations between acute care facilities and SPCs may prove effective in achieving this goal.
Major Professor: Susan Porterfield, PhD, FNP-c
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