Guidance and education provided to patients is used in the
discharge plan as measures to improve patients’ self-care.
Information for the discharge plan was disseminated by
a nurse and contained a list of medication, dose, how to
take medication and side effects, diet, sodium and water
restrictions, daily weight control, information concerning
pneumococcal/influenza vaccines, exercise, follow-up visits,
advice to quit smoking, avoid alcohol and non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory medication and how to proceed if the
symptoms worse. Such measures reduced hospitalizations
and costs.