Caregivers' Knowledge of Emergency Department Discharge Instructions Improves With the Use of Video

Previous studies demonstrate that patients often have difficulty understanding their discharge instructions. Video discharge instructions have the potential to mitigate factors such as illiteracy and limited physician time, which may affect comprehension. Our goal is to determine if adding video discharge instructions affects caregivers' understanding of their child's emergency department (ED) visit, plan and follow-up.

Caregivers of patients, age 29 days to 18 years, with a diagnosis of fever, vomiting or diarrhea, and wheezing or asthma were randomized into written or video discharge instruction groups. In the ED, caregivers read standard written discharge instructions or watched a 3-minute video based on their child's diagnosis. They were then asked questions regarding information covered in these instructions. After completing the 20-point questionnaire, standard discharge procedure was followed. Caregivers were contacted by phone 2-5 days after discharge for a follow-up questionnaire. Usefulness of the discharge instructions was also assessed.

• Other: Standard written discharge instructions
  Group of caregivers who read the standard written discharge instructions prior to answering the questionnaire
• Other: Video Discharge Instructions
  Group of caregivers who watched the 3 minute video covering the information in the standard written discharge instructions prior to answering the questionnaire

• Active Comparator: Written Discharge Instructions
  Group of caregivers who read written discharge instructions that are the standard discharge instructions given in our pediatric ED
  Intervention: Other: Standard written discharge instructions
• Experimental: Video Discharge Instructions
  Group of caregivers who watched the 3-minute video covering the information in the standard written discharge instructions
  Intervention: Other: Video Discharge Instructions

Inclusion Criteria:

• caregivers of pediatric patients age 29 days to 18 years old diagnosed with wheezing or asthma exacerbation, fever, or vomiting and/or diarrhea.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Caregivers of patients who were critical in the ED,
• Admitted to the hospital, or given an alternate diagnosis prior to discharge were excluded from the study.
• Also, non-English speaking caregivers were excluded.