Date of Conferral
8-6-2026
Date of Award
August 2026
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Donna Bailey
Abstract
This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) evidence-based quality improvement (QI) project addressed high 30-day hospital readmission rates among adults with heart failure (HF), a problem associated with poor medication adherence and inadequate transitional care that nurses are uniquely positioned to address through discharge education, medication reconciliation, and postdischarge follow up to improve patient safety and quality of care. The practice-focused question asked: In adult patients discharged with HF, how does a structured, nurse-led, telephone follow-up intervention focused on medication adherence, compared with usual discharge care, affect 30-day hospital readmission rates over a 90-day implementation period? The purpose of this DNP project was to evaluate whether implementing a structured, nurse-led, telephone follow-up intervention improved medication adherence and reduced 30-day hospital readmission rates using the Johns Hopkins nursing evidence-based practice (JHNEBP) model to guide evidence translation into practice. Analytical strategies included descriptive analysis of de-identified pre- and postimplementation organizational data to evaluate 30-day hospital readmissions, medication adherence, and follow-up completion rates. Findings demonstrated improvements in medication adherence, patient engagement, and transitional care, supporting the integration of standardized telephone follow-up into routine discharge workflows, providing staff education, and monitoring quality indicators. This project demonstrates the role of DNP-prepared nurses in leading evidence-based practice changes that improve organizational quality, strengthen nursing practice, and promote equitable post-discharge care for adults with HF.
Recommended Citation
Hamilton, Angela Dean, "Improving Medication Adherence Through Structured Telephone Follow-Up to Reduce 30-Day Readmissions Among Adult Patients With Heart Failure" (2026). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 20525.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/20525
