Researching the problem of congestive heart failure in older adults is an essential topic in modern medicine. Since the number of people with this ailment is significant, the nursing role analysis in addressing this issue may be a relevant task. Utilizing academic studies and findings from there may be valuable in the context of this study. Nursing staff can minimize the problems caused by congestive heart failure through special training and modern tools. As the process of interaction with medical providers, education may reduce the risk of death from the disease in question and help patients prevent the symptoms of the illness.
Problem Identification
Congestive heart failure is a common disease among older adults. The situation is complicated by the fact that the treatment of the illness is often accompanied by frequent readmissions. According to Vedel and Khanassov (2015), within 30 days after discharge, about 25% of patients are forced to continue treatment in stationary conditions (p. 562). These statistics suggest that standard care guidelines do not allow for proper effect, and relapses occur. As the authors note, in 6 months after discharge, approximately 50% of patients are readmitted (Vedel & Khanassov, 2015, p. 562).
As a result, treatment is delayed, which affects the state of health negatively. Therefore, it is necessary to help older adults to learn about how to prevent the disease and identify its symptoms in order to protect them from long-term rehabilitation.
Significance of the Problem to Nursing
The problem in question is relevant to nursing as the issue requires intervention in view of the readmission frequency and the responsibility of staff for patients’ health. The involvement of employees working in cardiology departments and engaged in the care of older adults is a mandatory procedure, and a high readmission frequency is a factor that requires intervention. As Rice, Say, and Betihavas (2018) argue, “patient education is an integral part of a nurse’s role,” and activities aimed at preventing congestive heart failure and identifying its symptoms timely may help (p. 364). Based on the aforementioned statistics, medical staff has to work with the same patients quite often, and successful work on preventing readmissions through education may stop frequent relapses.
Purpose of the Research
The aim of the study is to determine which educational methods are the most effective in the context of helping older patients with congestive heart failure who are faced with frequent readmissions. Since, according to Stamp et al. (2018), this disease is a progressive syndrome with pronounced symptoms, nursing assistance will include teaching the target group the basics of problem identification and prevention. As a methodology, mixed research will be conducted because both statistical data and the survey results of the study participants need to be compiled to obtain a comprehensive picture of the intervention.
Mathew and Thukha (2018) argue that the effectiveness of educational measures when working with cardiac patients is high if modern and advanced equipment is utilized. Therefore, a concomitant goal will be to test available training methods for the target audience and determine the success of using specific tools. Analyzing the results will provide an opportunity to understand how reasonable the hypotheses about the significance of education are and whether specific digital tools are helpful when preventing the illness under consideration.
Research Questions
In order to designate the goal of the study as accurately as possible, relevant research questions are to be posted. Based on the background of the problem and potential solutions, such topics will be covered as the importance of education, the role of nursing in preventing patients’ readmissions, and the assessment of the most effective teaching tools. The following research questions will be used for the study:
- Is training older adults with congestive heart failure the effective way of minimizing readmissions?
- What is the role of nurses in working with the target audience?
- What modern methods of education and prevention of the disease are the most effective?
Master’s Essentials Aligned with the Topic
As master’s essentials aligned with the topic, such aspects will be engaged as informatics in healthcare, the integration of theoretical materials into practical ones, and inter-professional collaboration. These systems should be used in order to reveal the goals of the research project and achieve positive patient outcomes. In addition, knowledge from other disciplines may be needed, for instance, sociology, to compile the required statistical correlations and correctly analyze the results without errors.
Conclusion
Educational materials provided to older adults with congestive heart failure may be practical tools for reducing the risk of death and minimizing readmissions. The health problem is relevant, and statistics from academic sources confirm this. Significance to nursing practice lies in the responsibility that personnel bear for the number of readmissions and patients’ well-being. The purpose of the study is to determine the effectiveness of utilizing educational methods based on modern digital tools for the prevention of the disease in question and eliminating its symptoms without medical providers’ participation.
References
Mathew, S., & Thukha, H. (2018). Pilot testing of the effectiveness of nurse-guided, patient-centered heart failure education for older adults. Geriatric Nursing, 39(4), 376-381. Web.
Rice, H., Say, R., & Betihavas, V. (2018). The effect of nurse-led education on hospitalization, readmission, quality of life, and cost in adults with heart failure. A systematic review. Patient Education and Counseling, 101(3), 363-374. Web.
Stamp, K. D., Prasun, M., Lee, C. S., Jaarsma, T., Piano, M. R., & Albert, N. M. (2018). Nursing research in heart failure care: A position statement of the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN). Heart & Lung, 47(2), 169-175. Web.
Vedel, I., & Khanassov, V. (2015). Transitional care for patients with congestive heart failure: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Annals of Family Medicine, 13(6), 562-571. Web.