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Published on: April 19, 2019
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Heart Failure: Priorities for Transition to Home
Margaret T Bowers1, Tonya Carter2
1Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Nursing, 307 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
The Nursing Clinics of North America
|August 3, 2023
Summary
Nurses facilitate heart failure (HF) patient transitions from hospital to home care. Early discharge teaching and timely follow-up calls/appointments improve patient understanding and reduce hospital readmissions.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Nursing Care
- Patient Transition Management
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) management requires effective hospital-to-ambulatory care transitions.
- Nurses are pivotal in ensuring patient and caregiver understanding of HF.
- Early identification of decompensation triggers is crucial for preventing readmissions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the essential role of nurses in heart failure transitional care.
- To emphasize the importance of early patient and caregiver engagement in discharge planning.
- To outline key interventions for successful heart failure transitions.
Main Methods:
- Early and ongoing discharge teaching for patients and caregivers.
- Post-discharge follow-up phone calls within 48-72 hours.
- Scheduled ambulatory follow-up appointments within 7 days of discharge.
Main Results:
- Enhanced patient and caregiver understanding of heart failure.
- Identification of factors that precipitate heart failure decompensation.
- Improved quality of life and reduced risk of rehospitalization for heart failure patients.
Conclusions:
- Nurses are integral to successful heart failure transitions.
- Timely interventions, including early teaching and follow-up, are effective.
- Proactive symptom management improves patient outcomes and minimizes healthcare utilization.
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