Predictors and outcomes of postpartum mothers' perceptions of readiness for discharge after birth.
OBJECTIVE
To identify predictors and outcomes of postpartum mothers' perceptions of their readiness for hospital discharge.


METHODS
A correlational design with path analyses was used to explore predictive relationships among transition theory-related variables.


METHODS
Midwestern tertiary perinatal center.


METHODS
One hundred and forty-one mixed-parity postpartum mothers who had experienced vaginal birth or Cesarean delivery of normal healthy infants.


METHODS
Before hospital discharge, patients completed questionnaires about sociodemographic characteristics, hospitalization factors, quality of discharge teaching, and readiness for discharge. Three weeks postdischarge, mothers were contacted by telephone to collect coping difficulty and health care utilization data.


METHODS
Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale, Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty Scale, Utilization of postdischarge services.


RESULTS
Quality of discharge teaching, specifically the relative difference in the amount of informational content needed and received and the skills of nurses in delivering discharge teaching, explained 38% of the variance in postpartum mothers' perceptions of discharge readiness. Readiness for discharge scores explained 22% of the variance in postdischarge coping difficulty scores. Nurses' skills in delivery of discharge teaching, coping difficulty, patient characteristics, and birth hospitalization factors were predictive of utilization of family support and postdischarge health care services.


CONCLUSIONS
A trajectory of influence was evident in the sequential relationships of quality of discharge teaching, readiness for discharge, postdischarge coping, and utilization of family support and health care services. Transitions theory provided a useful framework for conceptualizing and investigating the transition home after childbirth.
Weiss
Marianne E
ME
College of Nursing, Marquette University, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881, USA. Marianne.weiss@marquette.edu
Lokken
Lisa
L
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015146:Midwestern United States; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009773:Obstetric Nursing; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors