Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a slow, progressive disease where the heart weakens and eventually fails to pump blood adequately. Conditions that lead to CHF are previous heart attacks, poorly controlled hypertension, and/or diabetes to name a few. The quality of life and life expectancy for these patients is poor. The life expectancy five years after diagnosis is approximately 50% (Mello & Ashcraft, 2014).
1. Is this a nursing clinical problem? Yes
CHF is a nursing clinical problem. This population has frequent exacerbations and readmissions costing hospitals and patients millions per year. The costs to the patient are excessive financially, mentally and emotionally. The nurse is instrumental in helping the patient maintain their quality of life. Before discharge, the nurse will review the diet, medicine and general post-hospital care with the patient and their support systems. After discharge, nurses are the key care providers that assess, evaluate and educate the patient and their loved ones in their homes. They relay their findings to the physician and await orders on how best to proceed to maintain the patient at home …show more content…
The chances of developing this disease in one’s lifetime are one in five. The majority stricken with this illness are usually greater than 65 years of age (Bui, Horwich, & Fonarow, 2011). That means as the average life expectancy rises, and the baby boomer generation continues to move on into retirement, the incidence of CHF will continue to grow (Lehmann, Mintz, & Giancini, 2006). Between $37.2 and $39.2 billion are spent annually for the treatment of CHF (Voigt et al., 2014). There needs to be a change in the treatment model for CHF, or there will be a financial crisis in healthcare greater than the one that presently exists (Lehmann et al.,
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a slow, progressive disease where the heart weakens and eventually fails to pump blood adequately. Conditions that lead to CHF are previous heart attacks, poorly controlled hypertension, and/or diabetes to name a few. The quality of life and life expectancy for these patients is poor. The life expectancy five years after diagnosis is approximately 50% (Mello & Ashcraft, 2014).
1. Is this a nursing clinical problem? Yes
CHF is a nursing clinical problem. This population has frequent exacerbations and readmissions costing hospitals and patients millions per year. The costs to the patient are excessive financially, mentally and emotionally. The nurse is instrumental in helping the patient maintain their quality of life. Before discharge, the nurse will review the diet, medicine and general post-hospital care with the patient and their support systems. After discharge, nurses are the key care providers that assess, evaluate and educate the patient and their loved ones in their homes. They relay their findings to the physician and await orders on how best to proceed to maintain the patient at home …show more content…
The chances of developing this disease in one’s lifetime are one in five. The majority stricken with this illness are usually greater than 65 years of age (Bui, Horwich, & Fonarow, 2011). That means as the average life expectancy rises, and the baby boomer generation continues to move on into retirement, the incidence of CHF will continue to grow (Lehmann, Mintz, & Giancini, 2006). Between $37.2 and $39.2 billion are spent annually for the treatment of CHF (Voigt et al., 2014). There needs to be a change in the treatment model for CHF, or there will be a financial crisis in healthcare greater than the one that presently exists (Lehmann et al.,