title: Left Ventricular Assist Device: Care On Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Investigate the outcomes of patients admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) after placement of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of records.
  
  
  METHODS
  Authors reviewed records of patients admitted to the IRF after cardiac surgery or admission to the hospital with either acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, or placement of an LVAD. The study reports improvement in function, length of stay (LOS), and location of discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients in the LVAD group made as much progress in terms of improvement in function as the other groups. None of the patients in the LVAD group required transfer back to medical or surgical units. All were discharged to home. Length of stay (LOS) of the LVAD group was not significantly longer than that of the other cardiac patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients who have had placement of an LVAD can be safely cared for in an IRF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This paper provides information about the indications for LVAD, the nursing care of patients with an LVAD, and the outcomes of care in an IRF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Forrest
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Radu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rifenburg
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shields
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clift
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D064646:Cardiovascular Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000601:surgery*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019145:Rehabilitation Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Cardiac; left ventricular assist device; nurses; outcomes