Free Essay

Educating Chf Patients

In:

Submitted By c3rn
Words 1367
Pages 6
Educating Congestive Heart Failure Patients
Cynthia Jones
The University of Texas at Arlington School of Nursing

In partial fulfillment of the requirements of
N3645
Cynthia Jones, RN
October 1, 2012
Online RN-BSN

Educating Congestive Heart Patients

In comparison to the general population, the quality of life for patients with congestive heart failure is greatly impaired until patients are educated on the signs, symptoms and treatment of congestive heart failure. How can nurses use non-physical aspects of nursing to assist congestive heart failure patients improve their quality of life and decrease hospital visits? Patients with congestive heart failure receive physical aspects for treating the disease with the use of medications and surgery, but if patients were educated on the signs and symptoms at the onset of heart failure, outcomes should improve. When researching articles for information regarding congestive heart patients, I searched for articles in The Journal of American College of Cardiology, The Journal of Family Social Work, and the International Journal of Nursing Technologies and Classifications. I decided on these articles because they were published in reputable journals and provide correlations to the research question. In the first article seventy-six caregivers of patients with congestive heart failure used The McMaster Model of Family functioning (problem solving, communication, roles, affective responsiveness and affective involvement). Scores ranged from 1.0 (healthy) to 4.0 (unhealthy) on a 60-item survey that measured the six previously mentioned dimensions. Results suggest that the more education the caregiver had, the more likely they were to provide higher levels of problem skill, communication and affective involvement. The average score to describe the patient’s health was 3.61 with scores ranging from 1 (poor health) to 5 (excellent health). A weakness of this study was that the samples of caregivers were mostly white women who were married to the care recipient (Moore, 2010). The decision-making framework I used to select the article is the fact that variables that the nurse (caregiver in this study) has control over is communication, roles and affective involvement. A nurse or caregiver can control these characteristics. This article addresses the research question because treatment for a congestive heart patient may include communication on the signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure (Moore, 2010). The study’s limitations include only using predominately white caregivers who were married to the participants with congestive heart failure. A baseline assessment of the caregiver’s depression and anxiety level is not present. These variables could not be controlled. For example, the regression equation for the stress burden was not significant. The stress burden was used to access the affective part of the caregivers’ burden and was related to depression, anxiety and hopelessness. Although this study has limitations, it relates to my research question because it examines the impact of providing non-pharmacological variables such as problem solving, communication and affective responsiveness in patients with congestive hear failure (Moore, 2010). In the second article, twenty-nine patients with heart failure (males and females 18 years and older) were the participants in this study. Two expert nurses evaluated the patients to see if they needed to be tested. Next, the nurses evaluated each patient individually to see if they had the defining characteristics of it. This article addresses my research question because the participants had the following characteristics: fatigue, dyspnea, weight gain, stress and depression. Fatigue is a factor that has the largest effect on daily activities, and it contributes to heart failure (Martins, Aliti, and Rabelo, 2010). The decision-making framework I used to select this article was the cross-sectional study conducted on heart failure patients who were fatigued, dyspnea, edema and palpitations. This article addresses my research question because nurses can educate patients on the long term effects and symptoms of fatigue, dyspnea, edema and palpitations (Martins, Aliti, and Rabelo, 2010). Strengths of this research include providing background knowledge of precursors to heart failure. More and more patients are visiting emergency rooms due to decompensated heart failure; which is a possible first acute manifestation of heart failure. This study directly relates to my research question because investigators in this study concluded that the main cause of heart failure was non-adhesion to pharmacological therapies, i.e. diuretics, beta-blockers and non-pharmacological therapies, i.e. sodium and fluid restriction, weight gain, exercise and vaccination. Non-pharmacological therapies can be provided by nurses to increase the quality of life for patients with congestive heart failure. The authors left nothing out of this study; however the small number of similar studies did not allow for more discussion of this study’s results (Martins, Aliti, and Rabelo, 2010) In the final article, eight congestive heart patients participated in this study. Four received the herbal extract Cardiodoron, and four received a placebo. Many patients with congestive heart failure have an impaired quality of life. Poor quality of life predicts an increase number of hospital visits and high mortality rates. Patients taking Cardidodoron experienced no side effects. Results of this study were not significant but may have had relevance to the participants of the study. A weakness of this study is the small number of participants (Meyer, Ciolion, and O’Brien, 2012). The decision-making framework used to select this article was the direct relation to poor quality of life for patients with congestive heart failure. With the proper education from nurses, congestive heart failure patients can reduce their number of hospital visits. This article addresses my research question in that, it confirms that the quality of life for congestive heart failure patients is poor without proper knowledge (Meyer, Ciolion, and O’Brien, 2012). Strengths of this research include determining an increase or decrease in the quality of life of patients with congestive heart failure. There were not a significant number of participants in this study that could be applied in a broader sense. There were only eight participants in this study with six being white and two being black. The environment was controlled with one group receiving a liquid placebo that consisted of maple syrup to simulate Cardiodoron’s amber color, and the other group received the actual drug (Cardiodoron). All participants received a baseline physical exam, electrocardiogram and lab work. There were no known barriers present. Findings could be implemented with purpose and expected outcomes through utilizing more participants and maintaining a strong baseline. Methods used in this study were relevant to my research question and included physical exams, electrocardiograms and lab work on participants, in addition to phoning each participant at weeks 9, 15 and 21 to monitor their progress and check for new symptoms. Employing all of these methods assisted in producing reliable results (Meyer, Ciolion, and O’Brien, 2012). In the articles that I have selected to research, the key points that I have found are the importance of identifying roles of persons and or caregivers related to the patient. Secondly, it is important when preparing and educating the patient and or caregiver on the signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure for early detection of exacerbations. Education should be modified based on the assessment obtained by clinician and based on any communication barriers. The goal is that the patient and or caregiver have a clear understanding on management of this disease process. In conclusion with the high mortality rate with congestive heart failure patients, early detection and treatment is imperative. Ongoing research is needed to help educate the professionals to assist in educating the patient and or caregiver. The more knowledge the patient and or caregiver have in recognizing and identifying signs and symptoms, the earlier treatment modification can be initiated. This may be the difference in managing the disease in the home versus having to be admitted into a hospital.

REFERENCES

Martins, Q.C.S., Aliti, G. & Rabelo, E.R. (2010). Decreased cardiac output: Clinical validation Patients with decompensated heart failure. International Journal of Nursing Technologies and Classification, 21(4).
Meyer, R.P. Ciolion, J., & O’Brien, T.X. (2012). Using a complementary herbal therapy in heart failure. Integrative Medicine, 11(2), 38-41.
Moore, C.D. (2010). The impact of family functioning on caregiver burden among caregivers of veterans with congestive heart failure. Journal of Family Social Work, 13:451-462.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Prevention of Hospital Readmissions Related to Symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure

...Symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure NRS 441V Professional Capstone March 1, 2014 Abstract Providing patients diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure effective teaching can eliminate reoccurring hospitalizations. Patients are discharged with CHF and readmitted within 30 days. The information provided will examine the process of enhancing patient knowledge and provide additional resources essential for effective health care management. Research evidence provides data that proves patients who are diagnosed with CHF needs a variety of health care needs during admission and after discharge. The proposal will display an evaluation plan, implementation plan and a dissemination of the evidence. Provide at least 1 evidence based literature; for at least 1 evidence based solution. Keywords: congestive heart failure, therapy, education, patient outcomes Description of the Problem Prevention of Hospital Readmissions Related to Symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure Health care providers must ensure skills, knowledge and teaching is effective when providing care to their patients and families about symptoms of CHF. The length of stay for an average hospital visit can be two days however, for more chronic issues warrant an even longer stay. To avoid readmission of the disease processes of CHF warrants additional care and resources during and after discharge. . Some patients cannot follow up with their primary care physician because of transportation, language barriers and economic...

Words: 4836 - Pages: 20

Premium Essay

Chf Essay

...Congestive Heart Failure Introduction Everyone loses pumping ability in their heart as they age. The serious case of heart failure develops when other health conditions cause the heart to work harder or become damaged due to increased stress. Heart failure is usually a chronic disease. It gradually tends to become worse. By the time someone is diagnosed with it, the heart has most likely begun to lose pumping capacity for quits some time. Nearly five million Americans are living with heart failure and 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. This paper will discuss what heart failure is, and what nursing interventions may be of help to patients who suffer from this disease. My grandmother was recently diagnosed with congestive heart failure. By interviewing her and performing a brief assessment, I hope to recognize a few nursing diagnoses and some interventions that may make her disease more bearable. Heart failure can involve the right side of the heart, the left side, or both. Heart failure usually affects the left side first. Each side of the heart is made up of two chambers the atrium and the ventricle. If either of these chambers loses their ability to keep up with the amount of blood flow then heart failure occurs. Custom writing service can write essays on Congestive Heart Failure Left - sided failure involves the left (lower) ventricle. The left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. This chamber is the largest and is...

Words: 1742 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Community Teaching

...allowed this writer to gather a group of patients 65 years and older, who have been diagnosed with CHF and teach them about heart failure management and how to prevent hospital readmissions. Congestive heart failure is an illness that effects millions each year and with proper management, individuals can still lead a productive life. Prior to the teaching presentation, a community teaching work plan proposal was developed which helped create an outline for the teaching lesson. This paper will review the teaching plan, the epidemiological rational related to CHF, evaluate the teaching experience, how the community responded, and what the strengths of the teaching plan were and areas that need improvement. Summary of teaching plan Teaching about congestive heart failure management and how to prevent returning to the hospital for complications related to CHF, is an important topic to discuss and educate the community about, especially the elderly. The teaching plan developed by this writer estimated the teaching time to last 30 minutes and would take place at Victory Home Care. Between the cost of paper and ink to make the pamphlet for educational handout and cookies, juice, and coffee for refreshments, the estimated cost was $30.00. The community this writer chose was a home health center, who assisted this writer in identifying and gathering a group of patients diagnosed with CHF, to come in and allow this writer to teach them about CHF management and hospital readmission....

Words: 1790 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Congestive Heart Failure

...accumulate in the legs, ankles, and feet causing an edema, shortness of breath, and fatigue. (Heart Failure, 2015, para. 2) The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology defines heart failure as “a complex clinical syndrome that can result from any structural or functional cardiac disorder that impairs the ability of the ventricles to fill with or eject blood” (King, Kingery, & Casey, 2012, p. 1). Heart failure can be seen as a widespread disease, affecting around five million Americans. (Titler et al. n.d.) It is a chronic condition that is disabling and costly and common to our aging population. With the advancement in therapy and early diagnosis, survival increases from previously fatal acute cardiac events to patients feeling better and living longer. Millions of Americans living with heart failure are 65 years of age or older. (Roger et al, 2004) A1. Pathophysiology The Circulatory system focuses on the heart, a muscular organ that pumps blood through a complex network of blood vessels throughout the body. Blood that is pumped from the heart carries oxygen and nutrients that fuel body, tissues, and organs activities. The heart also plays a major role in removing waste products from the body. (Circulatory System, n.d. para. 1) Blood is composed of a straw- colored fluid, plasma and large amount of blood cells. Two types of blood cells are the red blood cells which carry oxygen to the body’s tissues and white blood cells which helps defend the body...

Words: 6554 - Pages: 27

Premium Essay

Health Promotion

...Running head: Health Promotion Health Promotion Sandra Hendrickson Grand Canyon University Professional Dynamics NRS 429V Nichelle Bogan October 11, 2009 Competencies of ASN Versus BSN Introduction: Health Promotion is defined in the in the American Journal of Health Promotion (AJHP) as the art and science that helps people discover their core passions and optimal health. Supporting them in their lifestyle changes that move them toward a state of optimal health. The optimal health being the balance of physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual health. (AJHP Sept/Oct 2009) Purpose: The purpose of health promotion in nursing is increase the knowledge of not only our patients but of the general public in prevention of diseases and increase in awareness of optimal health. The emergence of the computer age allows for more access to knowledge. The resources are endless. It is the job of the nurse to be as much up-to-date as possible. The General Theory implies that health nursing General Systems Theory supports community health nursing practices and primary prevention interventions. "General Systems Theory states that a change in any one part of the health care system, no matter how small, will create a change of some degree in the total system. This theory also stresses the importance of reciprocal feedback within the system and outside the system" (Harris, 2007, para. 5). This is similar concept to the movie “Pay it Forward. “ We...

Words: 2626 - Pages: 11

Free Essay

Maintaining Fluid Balance in Dialysis Patients

...Balance: A Health Promotion Paper • • . INTRODUCTION Fluid overload is a major clinical issue in patients with end stage renal failure. Oftentimes, unresolved and unaddressed fluid overload leads to congestive heart failure. Congestive heart failure is a progressive and systemic disease process that involves the interaction between the heart and kidneys. (Krishnan, 2007). Over time, worsening heart failure coupled with progressive kidney failure leads to diuretic resistance, consistent fluid volume overload and refractory heart failure. (Francis, 2006). Fluid balance is a goal for ESRD patients and should be one of the priorities for health promotion and prevention education. Fluid Overload and the Peritoneal Dialysis Client It is important to note that the client in this paper was diagnosed in 2007 for ESRD and hemodialysis treatment was initiated for this client right away. Initially, patient was getting three times a week dialysis treatments in-center. However, in the last three years, the client’s dialysis treatments were raised to four times per week to avoid fluid overload. Per client’s report, within the last year he would have 1-2 episodes of shortness of breath every three months ending in hospitalizations for congestive heart failure (CHF). In one of the client’s hospitalizations early this year, he was introduced to another treatment modality for ESRD patients. Client pursued peritoneal dialysis based on his nephrologist’s recommendation of said modality. ...

Words: 2301 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Sample Resume: Nurse Practitioner

...am compassionate, enthusiastic, caring and dedicated nurse who has been working at St. Joseph Hospital for 23 years. I started in 1995 as a license practical nurse and have made my way up to become a Nurse Practitioner. I was able to advanced my education and achieved my goals with the help of SJ’s employee reimbursement program as well as with The Al Greenway Nursing scholarship. I would love the opportunity to continue to work for Baycare to show my appreciation and have more of an impact on my patients care as provider. During my first 12 years at SJ, I worked on cardiac step down caring mostly for post open surgery patients and cardiac patients treating conditions such as CHF, HTN, CP, post MI, arrhythmias. I later felt that I was not...

Words: 375 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Notes

...competancies building of the desires of a leader/coach encouraging and empowering individuals being coached to succeed in the task(s) at hand. Mentors/coaches helps to develop the skills that are required to handle a variety of situations. As indicated in the text------------“ Coaches and mentor’s are the key to the development of leaders of tomorrow and such tools could meet the acknowledged training and developmental needs of nurses, while expanding the role of senior management and their links with those who deliver patient services. As indicated in the text APN’s skill in expert coaching and guidiance will be central to efforts to redesign and transform healthcare system to become more patient-centered.The text goes on to say that teaching and coaching are recognized as core competiencies of APN’S By the time that one has reached the level of becoming a graduate level nurse, their skills and expertise are used to assist them in coaching and mentoring their preceptee, patients class or individuals willing ot learn form. The role that I decided to partake upon is that of a Family Nurse practitioner. As a Family Nurse Practitioner I may consider working as a diabetic educator or wellness coach if all depends. Ineith role I would devise/ascertain/assemble a skills fair that would be directly relate dot diabetes...

Words: 1364 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Impact Of Health Literacy On Readmissions

...setting so it becomes imperative to educate the patient regarding their illness, treatments, management, medications and when to seek medical assistance. Providing this information to the patient and educating them, the patient is better able to self-manage their condition. Kouame (2010), identified the key challenges facing the rural population as: low population density, limited to no services, disproportionate numbers of elderly, low-income, and minorities, social isolation and a high incidents of chronic illnesses. Health promotion is defined as the process of enabling people to increase control over and improved their health. Improving health literacy is key in empowering the rural community...

Words: 858 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Adn vs Bsn

...of degree level each graduate nurse will have to pass the same NCLEX-RN test administered by Pearson Vue. BSN trained nurses also do not receive a higher salary but will have better results for advancement within companies and more job opportunities. BSNs are also better trained for positions outside of the acute care setting. So why are so many hospitals requiring that their current registered nurses obtain their BSN to maintain employment? Or why now are hospitals hiring only new registered nurses with their BSN? Because even though we hold same licensure, the knowledge and leadership skills to provide the best possible patient care are different. Even the research and statistics show the higher the degree level, the better the patient outcomes. I started my career as a Licensed Practical Nurse, where I was trained to provide hands on care for patients. I was taught how to perform nursing skills such as wound care, IM/SQ injections, check vital signs and administered medications. The only nursing tasks I could not perform were hanging blood, administering IV narcotics and completed Admission/Nursing assessments. So I could not understand for the life of me why Registered nurses were paid more and had to check off on my assessments after all, we were all nurses. It was not until I enrolled back in school to obtain my ADN did I learn the differences. As an ADN trained nurse, in addition to performing...

Words: 863 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Falls in Elderly

...Falls in the Elderly Dana Painter 000339195 WGU Falls in the Elderly A. 1. Kings Mountain, North Carolina is located in Cleveland County, the Piedmont region of North Carolina, close to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Kings Mountain is about 30 miles from Charlotte, NC. Cleveland County contains a total area of 469 square miles with 465 square miles of that being land and 4 square miles water. Cleveland County has eleven townships. The 2013 census reflects a population of 98,078 people, 37,046 households, and 27,006 families. The population for Kings Mountain is 10,296 people with 3,821 households, and 2,674 families. ("USCB," 2013) The ethnic structure of the city is 74.85% White, 21.55% African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.81% Asian, and 0.65% from other races, and 2.42% were Hispanic or Latino of the population. ("USCB," 2013) Of the 3,821 households for Kings Mountain, almost 50% were married couples, a little over 172% had a female as the head of household, and 30% were non-families. 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average family size was a little under 3. The median income for a household in the city was $31,000-$32,000 with a family income of $39,000 - $40,000. About 19% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21% of those age 65 or over. ("CC Chamber,") Our county has a Job Ready Partnership that offers tax credits for new corporations. With the availability of a skilled labor force and support services...

Words: 3591 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

The Patient Who Ll Through the Cracks

...in the case of a patient who is non-compliant with care and lacks knowledge about his medical condition. Nurses have numerous legal, professional and ethical duties. The three main duties are to respect all patients’ confidentiality and autonomy and to recognize duty of care owed to all patients. This paper will explore the ethical dilemma involved with a patient unwillingness to comply and the nurse’s duty to respect the patient’s wishes. Further discussion will give insight into the nurse’s legal responsibilities and elaborate on the principle of beneficence, health concepts, autonomy vs. paternalism, patient teaching, family as caregiver, Eco mapping, and therapeutic nursing interventions. Analysis of a Case Study Situation Overview The article, “The Patient Who Fell Through The Cracks,” described Mr. H as a 65 years old, morbidly obese man diagnosed with CHF, PVD, bilateral venous stasis ulcers, and HTN. He lived at home with his diabetic wife and mentally-challenged adult son. The environment in which they resided was unhealthy, possibly due to self-care deficit and lack of knowledge about health and wellness. Mr. H. lacked the support system that he needed to care for himself. Due to Mr. H’s inability to comprehend and self-care deficit immediate intervention had to be initiated by the nurse which involved providing wound care and health promotion. Principle of Beneficence: Rule of utility Beneficence is the concept of supporting the patient by preventing further...

Words: 3145 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

Heart Failure

...diagnosed cases each year, costing the nation roughly $32 billion dollars per year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016). Heart failure is a complex, pathophysiological condition in which the ventricles of the heart is weakened and unable to pump effectively to meet the body’s needs for nutrients or has lost adequate filling capacity. Clinical presentations of heart failure depends on which ventricles have failed to pump blood adequately; left ventricular failure, also known as congestive heart failure (CHF) is more common than right ventricular failure (McCance & Huether, 2014). The most common symptoms of heart failure are shortness of breath, fatigue, and peripheral edema. HF is not a disease, but rather a manifestation of a diseased heart. Large number of disorders can lead to heart failure, and with the aging population and many surviving primary cardiac events, it is no surprise that the most common reason for hospitalization in patients older than 65 years old is heart failure (McClintock, Mose, & Smith, 2014). Heart failure has become a major public health problem because it is the only cardiac condition that continues to increase in prevalence (McClintock, Mose, & Smith, 2014). Organizations such as American Heart Association (AHA), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) are helping raise awareness and are invaluable resources to the increasing heart failure population. Because heart...

Words: 16787 - Pages: 68

Free Essay

Childhood Disorders

...Diarrhea / ORT DEFINITION | SIGNS/SYMPTOMS | Most commonly due to acute infectious diarrhea (gastroenteritis) from a variety of causative organismsAntibiotics are a common cause of acute diarrhea! | Acute inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines caused by viruses, bacteria or their toxins or parasitesPresents commonly with diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting.CommunicabilityOften fecal-oral route (especially viruses)Food poisoning (especially bacteria)Day care centers, crowded living conditions, poor sanitation and cleanliness | DIAGNOSTIC TESTS | MAIN TREATMENT | Stool gram stain and culture (if bloody stools)Stool for Ova & Parasites (if hx suggestive)CBC – assess for anemia/infectionUrinalysis and urine culture (r/o UTI)Electrolytes | Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is one of the major worldwide health advances of the last decade:Safer, less painful, and less costly than IV rehydrationOral rehydration solution enhances and promotes reabsorption of H2O and NaReduces vomiting, diarrhea, and duration of illnessORT GuidelinesDiarrhea w/o dehydrationMild dehydrationMod dehydrationSevere dehydrationReplacing ongoing losses | MAJOR TEACHING POINTS | NURSING CONSIDERATIONS | Teach parents at well childcare visits in first yearKeep 24 hour supply of ORT in homeBegin with first sign of diarrheaReplace with ½ cup ORT for each diarrheal stoolSeek medical attention prn signs or dehydrationAfter re-hydration resume breast/formula feeding or normal diet...

Words: 6492 - Pages: 26

Premium Essay

Professional Roles and Values

...Hendricks County Promotion of Healthy Lifestyle with Nutrition and Exercise Faith N. Kirirah – 000328312 07/03/2014 HGT Community Health Practicum Western Governors University Assessment The fieldwork for this report is performed in Hendricks County in the state of Indiana, United States of America (USA). Community Hendricks County is located just west of Indianapolis, Indiana. This county boarders on Borne County to the north, Marion County to the east, Montgomery and Putnam Counties to the west, and Morgan County to the south. The county has a total area size of 408.78 square miles of which 406.91 square miles is land and the remainder is water according to 2012 United States Census Bureau. The estimated population of this county was 153,879 in 2013 with 90.4percent being Caucasians, 5.5percent Black/African Americans, 3.2 percent Hispanic/Latino, 2.3 percent Asians and the remainder covering other nationalities (Alaska Natives, American Indians, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders, some other races and two/more races). This county benefits from easy access to the nearby cities and towns that it shares with the Indianapolis metropolitan area with. One major concern in this county is traffic that causes long travel times and congestion. Physical environment of this county is within acceptable standards according to the county health department. Several of the ditches in this county have been found to be contaminated with bacterium E. coli but with the increased...

Words: 3294 - Pages: 14