When hospital readmissions are a useful indicator for the quality of nursing care

Hospital readmissions (mostly within 30 days) after discharge are a frequent, burdensome, and costly event, considered an indicator of the quality of care delivered in hospitals. They are also used as one of the sensitive outcomes of nursing care. However, since the 1950s, there has been ongoing debate about whether they can truly be considered an indicator of the quality of nursing care. This article discusses the cautions that should be adopted when interpreting and comparing data across different contexts, presenting the contrasting results of published studies. Readmissions are an indicator of hospital utilization and cannot be solely associated (except in special circumstances) to nursing care. However, their measurement may contribute to improving the overall quality of care.