EXAMINING ASSESSMENT TOOLS FOR DISCHARGE PLANNING

▪ Additional tables and full references are available atnursingtimes.net

Hinkle, Janice L. PhD, CNRN, RN
Davies, Janette PhD, MSc, RN
Ng, Derek MSc, RSW
McClaran, Jacqueline MD

Janice L. Hinkle, PhD, CNRN, RN, is senior research fellow, Oxford Brookes University and Acute Stroke Programme, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital; Janette Davies, PhD, MSc, RN, is research associate, international gender studies, University of Oxford, and staff nurse, Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust; Derek Ng, MSc, RSW, is research assistant, School of Health and Social Care, Oxford Brookes University; Jacqueline McClaran, MD, is associate medical director, Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, and associate director of clinical studies, University of Oxford Medical School.

For more clinical information log on to nursingtimes.net and NT Clinical and Archive

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN DOUBLE-BLIND PEER-REVIEWED

Nursing Times 104(43):p 32-35, October 28, 2008.

ABSTRACT

Hinkle, J.L. et al (2008) Examining assessment tools for discharge planning. Nursing Times; 104: 43, 32-35.

Background:

Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust had no common instrument to assess function throughout the trust.

Aim:

To compare three functional assessment tools, and provide evidence of reliability and validity.

Method:

This was a prospective study of discharge in an acute hospital trust. The research nurse collected demographic data and Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Alpha FIM and Barthel Index (BI) scores on 551 patients. Patients were entered into the study between days five and 11 of their stay in acute medical wards and followed until discharge.

Results:

The median age was 82 (range 19-102) years and 42% were male. The mean FIM score was 72, range 18-126 (SD ±31), mean Alpha FIM was 29, range 6-42 (SD ±11), and mean BI was 9, range 0-20 (SD ±6). The Cronbach alpha coefficients were: FIM 0.955, Alpha FIM 0.897 and BI 0.911.

Conclusion:

The results suggest all three functional assessment tools are valid and reliable. Nurses can incorporate any of the three instruments into discharge planning; they are well advised to use a measure of function to get to know their patients and better inform this process.