A Correlational Pilot Study of Home Health Nurse Management of Heart Failure Patients and Hospital Readmissions

Abstract

Heart failure is the leading cause of hospital admissions in patients more than 65 years old. The failure to provide carefully planned care to heart failure patients in the home setting predisposes patients to frequent hospital readmissions due to poor medication compliance, diet, and education of symptom management (Li, Marrow-Howell, & Proctor, 2004). The objective of this pilot study is to show the importance of the home health nurse to follow heart failure patients post hospital discharge. This study uses Lydia Hall's Care, Cure, and Core Theory to show the importance of home health nurse interventions to heart failure patients (Touhy & Birnbach, 2001). According to Stewart and Horowitz (2002), home health multidisciplinary team follow-up may assist patients and caregivers in recognizing the symptoms of the recurring onset of heart failure. The home health team can intervene and assist in management of the symptoms and possibly prevent hospital readmissions.

Keywords

home health heart failure readmissions

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References

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