title: Home cardiac rehabilitation for congestive heart failure: a nursing case management approach.
abstract: As the only major cardiovascular disease increasing in incidence and prevalence, congestive heart failure (CHF) is a major health threat. Progression of the disease often leads to severe disability and requires intensive medical and psychological management. Cardiac rehabilitation for CHF can improve a patient's functional ability, alleviate activity-related symptoms, improve quality of life, and restore and maintain physiological, psychological, and social status. The expansion of home care services and advances in technology allow cardiac rehabilitation to take place in the patient's home. Because of their training in health promotion and prevention, assessment, and coordination of services, nurses are the ideal providers of comprehensive home cardiac rehabilitation. Financially, physically, and psychologically beneficial for CHF patients and their families, home cardiac rehabilitation is also cost-effective for society. This article substantiates the benefits of home cardiac rehabilitation for patients with CHF and explains why nurses are the ideal case managers for such programs.
authors.affiliation: Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, USA. bonita.goodwin@drake.edu
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Goodwin
mesh_terms: D019090:Case Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000451:nursing / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D019145:Rehabilitation Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*