Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects
Access Control
Open Access
Embargo Period
12-13-2012
Degree Program
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Degree Track
Family Nurse Practioner
Year Degree Awarded
2012
Month Degree Awarded
May
Keywords
Cultural sensitivity, heart failure education, Spanish-speaking patients, phone follow up.
Advisor
Jean DeMartinis, PhD, APRN, FNP, BC Associate Professor
DNP Project Chair
Jean DeMartinis, PhD, APRN, FNP, BC Associate Professor
DNP Project Member Name
Joan Roche, PhD, RN, GCNC-BC Clinical Associate Professor
Abstract
Heart failure (HF) is a disease with a high morbidity rate and is associated with a high rate of hospital re-admissions and medical complications. Therefore, medical insurance costs and hospital resource utilization are increasing yearly. The American Heart Association, The Heart Failure Society of America, and American College of Cardiology have published different clinical practice guidelines for heart failure management; these organizations have acknowledged the importance of patient self-care administration. Although interventions combining patient education, medical therapy, physical therapy, and post-discharge management in patients with heart failure have demonstrated benefits in patients, the gains attributed to heart failure patient education alone during hospitalization and post-discharge is not well-known.
However, heart failure patient who are primarily Spanish speaking have not demonstrated the same level of positive outcome as other patient populations as reported from a one year review of patient outcomes after initiation of the HF program at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA. This Capstone project indicates that patient education programs during hospitalization and post-discharge may improve clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure, and decrease readmissions.
The purpose of this Capstone Project is to enhance the efficacy and cultural sensitivity of HF education for Spanish-speaking patients at hospitalization and through phone follow-up by providing the standard HF education in Spanish for Spanish Speaking HF patients as well as giving patients an instruction booklet in Spanish and one in English to take home with them.
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