Examining assessment tools for discharge planning.
BACKGROUND
Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust had no common instrument to assess function throughout the trust.


OBJECTIVE
To compare three functional assessment tools, and provide evidence of reliability and validity.


METHODS
This was a prospective study of discharge in an acute hospital trust. The research nurse collected demographic data and Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Alpha FIM and Barthel Index (BI) scores on 551 patients. Patients were entered into the study between days five and 11 of their stay in acute medical wards and followed until discharge.


RESULTS
The median age was 82 (range 19-102) years and 42% were male. The mean FIM score was 72, range 18-126 (SD +/- 31), mean Alpha FIM was 29, range 6-42 (SD +/- 11), and mean BI was 9, range 0-20 (SD +/- 6). The Cronbach alpha coefficients were: FIM 0.955, Alpha FIM 0.897 and BI 0.911.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest all three functional assessment tools are valid and reliable. Nurses can incorporate any of the three instruments into discharge planning; they are well advised to use a measure of function to get to know their patients and better inform this process.
Hinkle
Janice L
JL
Oxford Brookes University.
Davies
Janette
J
Ng
Derek
D
McClaran
Jacqueline
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010351:Patient Discharge; D006113:United Kingdom