Road to Home Program: A Performance Improvement Initiative to Increase Family and Nurse Satisfaction With the Discharge Education Process for Newly Diagnosed Pediatric Oncology Patients

Abstract

Families of children, adolescents, and young adults with a new oncology diagnosis must absorb knowledge and skills needed to care for their child at home during a period of emergent hospitalizations and intense medical interventions. Effective nurse-led teaching and discharge planning begun at diagnosis can prepare families to safely care for their child following discharge, and be a source of satisfaction. The objective of this performance improvement initiative was to increase family and nurse satisfaction with new diagnosis education and discharge. Using standard performance improvement techniques, family and nursing stakeholder satisfaction with current processes was assessed. Working from established best practice and literature review; The Road to Home was designed and implemented. This novel, comprehensive program includes a visual, interactive display of required education based on the Children’s Oncology Group Family Handbook^© and hospital specific discharge materials; standardized teaching, tools and documentation for nursing; and caregiver discharge tool kits. Stakeholder input guided improvement strategies throughout the phases of implementation. Sustained increases in family and nurse satisfaction resulted from each phase. The Road to Home program is established for all families of newly diagnosed oncology patients and is meeting goals of increased family and nurse satisfaction with discharge education.