A Retrospective Cohort Study of patient education programs in hospitalized elderly patients with nurse burnout

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22815004

Keywords:

patient education, elderly patients, nurse burnout, retrospective cohort, hospital discharge

Abstract

Background: Hospitalized elderly patients depend on structured education for new diagnoses and discharge instructions, yet the nurses delivering that teaching increasingly report burnout that may erode its delivery.

Objective: This review synthesizes retrospective cohort and observational evidence on patient education programs for hospitalized elderly patients, examined alongside nurse burnout, to characterize their intersection.

Methods: We synthesized retrospective cohort studies, cross-sectional surveys, and quasi-experimental evaluations addressing inpatient education for older adults, burnout measurement, staffing, and outcomes.

Findings: Structured teach-back and discharge-education programs are associated with improved comprehension and lower readmission, while units with higher burnout show reduced education completeness and lower understanding; staffing and workload predict both burnout and education fidelity.

Conclusions: Burnout appears to function as a structural barrier to consistent patient education in geriatric inpatient care, and protecting nursing workload may be as important to education outcomes as program content.

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Published

2026-06-07