Xiaojuan Zhou,1 Shuai Huang,1 Jiani Gu2 

1Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200082, People’s Republic of China; 2Nursing Department, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200082, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Jiani Gu, Nursing Department, Xinhua Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200082, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 021-25077885, Email gujianigjnn@126.com

Objective: This review aimed to summarizes existing research on readiness for hospital discharge among patients discharged with T-tubes, with a focus on assessment tools, influencing factors, and intervention strategies, to establish a theoretical foundation for improving discharge preparation in this population.
Methods: A structured literature review was conducted to identify and synthesize studies examining determinants of discharge readiness in patients with drainage tubes, particularly T-tubes.
Results: Multiple factors were found to influence readiness for hospital discharge among patients with T-tubes, including age, living conditions, educational background, and the clarity and comprehensiveness of discharge instructions. In addition, external elements such as the availability of social support significantly impacted discharge readiness.
Conclusion: Discharge preparation for patients with T-tubes remains suboptimal in current clinical practice. Future research should prioritize the identification of key influencing factors and the development of individualized discharge plans or decision-support protocols to promote smooth transitions from hospital to home, reduce unplanned readmissions, and improve both patient-reported outcomes and health-related quality of life.

Keywords: influencing factors, patients with tubes, readiness for hospital discharge, t-tube