Experience, barriers and facilitators of discharge readiness in patients with acute pancreatitis: a descriptive qualitative study.

Abstract

To explore patients' experiences of discharge readiness following acute pancreatitis (AP) and to identify perceived barriers and facilitators influencing readiness for discharge during the transition from hospital to home. A descriptive qualitative study guided by Meleis' Transitions Theory. Emergency and gastroenterology wards of Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. 16 patients with AP were recruited; all 16 eligible patients approached agreed to participate (100% response rate). Data were collected between December 2024 and January 2025 through semistructured in-depth interviews. Data were analysed using Elo and Kyngäs's three-step qualitative content analysis framework, integrating conventional and directed content analysis. The study adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines. Patterns of response reflected variability in patients' psychological adaptation during the transition process, including cognitive-emotional responses and relational interactions. Factors influencing discharge readiness were identified across three theoretical domains. Nature of Transitions captured the dynamics of self-management, including awareness, engagement and behavioural evolution. Transition Conditions reflected the complexity of socioecological determinants, including age and life stage, health literacy, financial resources and occupational and cultural influences. Nursing Therapeutics highlighted the discordance between professional support and patient needs, particularly in relation to information provision, dietary management and care continuity. Building on Meleis' Transitions Theory, this study provides an empirically grounded understanding of discharge readiness among patients with AP as a dynamic, multifactorial process. Our findings extend the theory by demonstrating that discharge readiness is shaped by the interaction between individual self-management, socioecological determinants, psychological adaptations and professional support. Addressing gaps in professional health information, personalised and structured dietary management and continuity of care is essential to enhance discharge readiness and support safe, sustainable recovery.