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

NCT07280208 | Completed Results

• 1 other identifier: 2025-398
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 57
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aimed 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 tested whether a structured discharge education session using the "teach-back" method-where patients repeated instructions in their own words-could help improve their knowledge and self-care behaviors. The goal was to reduce hospital readmissions and help patients feel more confident managing their heart failure at home.

Conditions

Heart Failure; Heart Failure Hospitalization; Readmission, Hospital

Keywords

heart failure; hospital readmission; patient education; teach-back method; self-care; health literacy; discharge planning; transitional care; evidence-based practice; nursing intervention; quality improvement; systolic heart failure; medication adherence; symptom monitoring; lifestyle modification

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Heart Failure Self-Care Behaviors (EHFScB-9 Total Score)

  The 9-item European Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale (EHFScB-9) was used to assess self-care behaviors. Each item is scored on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 ("completely agree") to 5 ("do not agree at all"), producing a total score range of 9 to 45. The outcome represents the change in total EHFScB-9 score from baseline (pre-intervention) to immediately post-intervention following the discharge education session. Lower total scores indicate better self-care performance (more consistent adherence to recommended behaviors), while higher total scores indicate poorer self-care performance (less consistent adherence).

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately post-intervention on the same day, up to 35 minutes after the start of the education session.

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Number of Participants With 30-Day Heart Failure Readmission

  Assessed during the 30-day period following hospital discharge.

Study Arms (1)

Teach-Back Education Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

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

Behavioral: Teach-Back Discharge Education

Interventions

Teach-Back Discharge Education 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.

Teach-Back Education Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• 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

You may not qualify if:

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

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Nova Southeastern University: lead

Study Sites (1)

HCA Florida JFK Hospital

Atlantis, Florida, 33462, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Heart Failure; Heart Failure, Systolic; Medication Adherence

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Heart Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Patient Compliance; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Treatment Adherence and Compliance; Health Behavior; Behavior

Limitations and Caveats

This was a single-site quality improvement study with a small sample size, which may limit generalizability of findings. Demographic data such as age, race, and ethnicity were not collected, which restricts subgroup analysis. The short follow-up period (30 days) may not capture long-term outcomes.

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Sara Bierschenk, Principal Investigator
• Organization: Nova Southeastern University - Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing

sb2522@mynsu.nova.edu

5613357157

Study Officials

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

  Nova Southeastern University, Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing

  STUDY CHAIR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: All participants received the same intervention: structured discharge education using the teach-back method. There was no control group or comparison between multiple interventions. The study used a pre-test/post-test design within a single group to evaluate changes in self-care behaviors and readmission rates.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 29, 2025
• First Posted: December 12, 2025
• Study Start: September 11, 2025
• Primary Completion: October 11, 2025
• Study Completion: November 10, 2025
• Last Updated: February 25, 2026
• Results First Posted: February 25, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)