Nurse-Directed Inpatient Asthma Intervention

An Evidence-Based Practice

This practice has been Archived and is no longer maintained.

Description

The Nurse-Directed Inpatient Asthma Intervention is a hospital-based program for adults who have been hospitalized due to asthma. The program uses asthma nurse specialists to help high-risk patients reduce hospital readmission rates and improve health quality. As a part of the intervention, individual treatment plans are revised to be consistent with the National Asthma Education Prevention Program Guidelines, and during hospitalization, a daily Asthma Care flow sheet enhances communication between the nurse specialist and the physician. Nurses educate patient participants about asthma and help them develop an individualized asthma self-management plan. Asthma education includes medication dosing, inhaler technique, and peak flow monitoring. Outpatient care is facilitated through telephone follow-ups.

Goal / Mission

The goal of the Nurse-Directed Inpatient Asthma Intervention is to improve health quality and reduce hospitalization readmissions due to asthma.

Results / Accomplishments

Participants in the intervention had a 60% reduction in total hospitalizations following the program when compared to a regular-care control group (31 vs. 71 readmissions, p = 0.04). Readmissions due to asthma decreased by 54% (21 vs. 42 readmissions, p = 0.04). Intervention participants had markedly fewer lost work or school days (246 vs. 1,040 days) and substantially reduced direct and indirect health-care costs ($5,726 vs. $12,188).

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
Washington University School of Medicine
Primary Contact
Mario Castro, M.D., M.P.H.
Washington University School of Medicine
Box 8052
660 S. Euclid Ave
St. Louis, MO 63110
(314) 362-6904
castrom@msnotes.wustl.edu
http://medschool.wustl.edu/
Topics
Health / Respiratory Diseases
Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants
Organization(s)
Washington University School of Medicine
Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Date of publication
Jun 2003
Date of implementation
1996
Location
St. Louis, MO
For more details
Target Audience
Adults