Propelling Nurse-Led Structured Intervention to Enhance Self-Care among Patients with Chronic Heart Failure...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Nursing Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Heart Failure (HF) is a prevalent chronic condition with high readmission rates, significant symptom burden, and substantial financial costs.
• Effective disease management, especially post-hospitalization, is crucial for reducing mortality and hospitalizations.
• Outpatient self-care interventions are essential for managing chronic HF, with structured nurse-led support showing potential benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of a nurse-led structured intervention against usual medical care for outpatients with chronic HF.
• To evaluate the impact on self-care behaviors and the occurrence of symptom exacerbation or rehospitalization.

Main Methods:

• A cluster-randomized controlled trial involving 40 facilities and 210 adult participants diagnosed with chronic HF (Stage C).
• The intervention group received structured nursing support (weekly calls for the first month, then monthly) focusing on stability, medication adherence, and self-management.
• The control group received usual medical care. Primary outcome: European Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale (EHFScBS) scores.

Main Results:

• The study is designed to assess changes in self-care behavior scores (EHFScBS) as the primary outcome.
• Secondary outcomes include 30-day, 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year readmission rates, duration of home care, and levels of BNP and NT-proBNP.

Conclusions:

• The findings will elucidate the efficacy of structured nurse-led interventions in improving self-care and clinical outcomes for chronic heart failure outpatients.
• This research could inform best practices for heart failure management, potentially reducing healthcare utilization and improving patient quality of life.