title: Implementation of a self-care of heart failure program among home-based clients.
abstract: Heart failure is the most common admission in hospitals among Medicare recipients aged 65 years or older. Self-care management of heart failure has been reported to decrease heart failure hospital admission rates. The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to examine how a self-care of heart failure program (Heart Failure Self-care to Success) impacts hospital admissions and patient perceptions of self-care management. Heart Failure Self-care to Success (HF S2S) was successfully implemented with 18 participants by nurse practitioners in a house call practice. Six months following implementation of the self-care of heart failure program no heart failure admissions occurred among participants and a significant increase in their self-care of heart failure behaviors (p < .01) was reported by participants. Nurse practitioners using HF S2S can decrease health care costs and improve self-care behaviors in the older, homebound heart failure patient. Further testing of HF S2S is recommended in different practice settings, sample populations, and geographic locations.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences and Professions, Ohio University, Grover Center W133D, Athens, OH 45701-2979, USA. Electronic address: bryantr@ohio.edu.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bryant
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA.
authors.forename: Phyllis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaspar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare; D012648:Self Care; D014481:United States
keywords: Heart failure; Homebound; Hospital admissions; Nurse practitioners; Older adults; Self-care; Self-care behaviors