Effectiveness of Nursing Interventions in Preventing Hospital Re-Admissions: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Hospital readmissions represent a significant challenge for healthcare systems worldwide, contributing to increased healthcare expenditures, higher morbidity and mortality rates, and reduced quality of care. Preventing avoidable re-admissions has become a primary objective of healthcare organizations, particularly for patients with chronic conditions and complex care needs. Nurses play a crucial role in transitional care by facilitating discharge planning, patient education, care coordination, and post-discharge follow-up. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of nursing interventions in reducing hospital readmissions among adult patients. A literature review was conducted using studies published between 2014 and 2024 in PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and Web of Science. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, quasi-experimental studies, and systematic reviews investigating nurse-led interventions and reporting readmission outcomes. The findings indicate that comprehensive nursing interventions, particularly structured discharge planning, transitional care programs, patient education, telemonitoring, and home-based follow-up, are associated with significant reductions in hospital readmissions. Multifaceted interventions integrating several strategies demonstrated the strongest effects. These findings support the implementation of nurse-led transitional care models as an effective approach to improve continuity of care and reduce avoidable hospitalizations.