Date of Award
Summer 2019
Document Type
Final DNP Paper
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Department
Nursing
Faculty Chair
Dr. Rebecca Peinhardt
Abstract
Heart Failure (HF) is the leading cause of hospital readmission for patients 65 years of age and older. A pre-discharge B-type natriuretic peptide is a strong predictor of hospital readmission and mortality. The annual cost for admission of patients with HF is greater than $17 billion. Diagnosed heart failure patients continue to be discharged without the physician knowing their current BNP levels. The Affordable Care Act established the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) requiring the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reduce reimbursement to hospitals with high readmission rates. A change in policy should be initiated to include a pre-discharge BNP be drawn on every Heart Failure patient within 24-48 hours prior to discharge.
Recommended Citation
Duckett, Melissa, "Pre-discharge BNP: A Policy Change to Reduce Hospital Readmission" (2019). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 1.
https://digitalcommons.jsu.edu/etds_nursing/1