Caring for the Heart Failure Patient: Contemporary Nursing Interventions

Abstract

Congestive heart failure is a major public health problem with steadily increasing prevalence, high morbidity and early mortality.  A multidisciplinary approach seems the best way to manage patients with heart failure since it has been shown to improve clinical outcome and especially to reduce the rate of readmission due to acute or chronic decompensation. Nurses have a leading role in this “heart failure team” due to their excellent clinical assessment and communication skills as well as due to their ability to work closely with the patient. Thus, they are able to deliver care in many forms and contexts throughout the course of the disease.  Specialized in heart failure care nurses can assess the signs and symptoms of cardiac destabilisation, monitor therapy compliance, provide education, psycho-social support and counselling, develop behaviour modification techniques, and also act as the healthcare liaison for the patients and their family at any stage of the disease.  The ultimate aim is, through this integrated approach, to reduce mortality, prevent rehospitalisation, increase functional ability and improve quality of life for heart failure patients.