Comprehensive care for adults with congenital heart disease: expanding roles for nurses.
Adults with congenital heart disease constitute a growing patient population. Although life expectancy of these patients is increasing, they may be confronted with specific medical, psychosocial and behavioural problems throughout their life span. Special attention needs to be given to patients' illness experiences; knowledge and health behaviour; employability and insurability. Hence, comprehensive care by specialised health care professionals, addressing the multidimensional problems experienced by the patients is required. Interdisciplinary teams in which nurses guarantee the management beyond typical medical issues are promising. Key elements of nurses' involvement are facilitation of the transition process from paediatric to adult cardiology, identification of patient needs, screening and referral for psychosocial problems, and education and counselling of patients and families. In particular, an advanced practice nurse seems to be pre-eminent to optimise illness management of adult patients with congenital heart disease.
Moons
Philip
P
Centre for Health Services and Nursing Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35/4, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium. philip.moons@med.kuleuven.ac.be
De Geest
Sabina
S
Budts
Werner
W
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003191:Comprehensive Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D004651:Employment; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D012803:Sick Role