Nurse practitioner-led transitional care interventions: An integrative review.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Chronically ill patients 65 and above have an increased risk of preventable readmission within 30 days of discharge from the hospital. The Transitional Care Model (TCM) introduced by Naylor and colleagues was implemented to improve the transition between hospital and home while decreasing readmissions. This article examines whether nurse practitioner (NP)- led TCM interventions as compared to standard care decrease hospital readmission rates in older adults. METHODS: A literature review was conducted from June 2016 to March 2017 using Cochrane Library, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Health Literature (CINAHL) PLUS, Joanna Briggs Institute, and ProQuest Central to seek out the highest level of evidence. Search results were refined to focus on randomized control trials (RTCs) containing NP-led TCM interventions with older adults. CONCLUSIONS: Synthesis of three RTCs, one meta-analysis, and four nonrandomized studies reviewed TCM interventions that included these interventions: follow-up phone calls post discharge, home visits, and handoff of information to the patient's primary care provider. These interventions, although not exclusively led by NPs, decreased hospital readmission rates. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: NP-led TCM interventions have the potential to decrease readmissions, but the level of evidence is insufficiently high to allow for generalizability, warranting further study.

Research on culturally tailored interventions aimed at improving chronic disease risk factors and management.

High blood pressure (HBP) is a worldwide epidemic with health and economic consequences. Although there is a growing body of knowledge, treatment options, and clinical guidelines, a small percentage of people with hypertension (HTN) achieve optimal control. In addition, HBP disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities. Strategies to address the management of HTN among specific populations remain scarce. Evidence shows that successful management of HTN requires pharmacological, educational, and self-care approaches. The first 3 summaries here profile research addressing this issue. The research focuses on the tailoring of interventions for racial and ethnic minority groups, specifically African Americans and Korean Americans. The fourth summary profiles an intervention targeted at a low-literacy group to improve diet. Readers are encouraged to access the full articles to learn more details about the intervention strategies and outcomes of these initiatives.