Return visits to the emergency department: what can we learn from older adults' experiences?

Unscheduled return visits to the emergency department (ED) represent a considerable segment of older adults' total visits to the ED. This study explores the factors that led to early return visits to the ED by older adults. Using a qualitative descriptive design, semi-structured interviews were conducted in a large teaching hospital with 15 older adults who returned to the ED within 2 weeks after an initial visit.