Abstract:
Traumatic patients after extremity surgery will have a temporary disability. Readiness for hospital discharge is an important transition from the hospital to home treatment period so that patients can self-care and lead to well-being. This study is a predictive correlation study which aimed to study the predictive ability of Age, Length of stay, Meaning of Illness, and Health literacy on Readiness for hospital discharge to home. The sample included 75 traumatic patients after extremity surgery, who were admitted at the Phrachomklao Hospital from March to April 2021. The instruments used for data collection were the personal data questionnaire, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, the Health literacy Questionnaire, and The Brief PREPARED. Statistical analysis using multiple regression was employed at the significant value of .05. The results showed that of the participants, 68% were male, with an Age mean ( x̄) of 45.84 years old (SD=18.92), Length of stay mean (x̄) of 8.72 days (SD=11.18), Meaning of Illness at a moderate level (mean x̄ =32.80, SD=12.90), Health literacy at a high level (mean x̄ =211.47, SD=43.80), and Readiness for hospital discharge at a high level (mean x̄ =14.25, SD=4.64). It was found that Age, Length of stay, Meaning of Illness, and Health literacy predicted readiness for hospital discharge, explaining 51.8% of the variance in traumatic patients after extremity surgery, showing statistically significant results (R2 = .518, F=18.829, p<.05). The result of this study supports the conceptualization using transition theory. The Length of stay is related to the health/illness transition. In the personal transitional condition, the Meaning of Illness is explained as an inhibitor factor, but Health literacy is a facilitating factor to the readiness of hospital discharge. IMPLICATION OF THE THESIS: Nurses must give more importance to the readiness for hospital discharge for all patients from the moment they are admitted at the hospital. Also, nurses must motivate the patients about health literacy and the correct Meaning of Illness, particularly the group of patients who have a long hospital stay, so that they are able to transition from hospital to home. Patients can take care of themselves, leading to a tendency for recovery and well-being.