Date of Graduation
Fall 12-16-2022
Document Type
Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
College/School
School of Nursing and Health Professions
Department/Program
Nursing
Program
Population Health Leadership
First Advisor
Dr. Elena Capella
Second Advisor
Dr. Francine Serafin-Dickson
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Heart failure results in life-altering and devastating illnesses, predominantly among older adults. Heart failure management is complex, and requires patients and their caregivers to actively monitor symptoms and sufficiently understand care management to maintain health-promoting behaviors. While home health nurses have the primary role as patient educators of their patients with heart failure, evidence from the literature indicates that nurses lack sufficient knowledge to fulfill this role.
Local Problem: Nurses’ inadequate knowledge of heart failure self-care management has been associated with insufficient patient education, the inability of patients to perform heart failure self-care management, worse clinical outcomes, and higher readmission rates.
Methods: Baseline and post-intervention knowledge of heart failure self-care management were assessed with the 20-item Nurses Knowledge of Heart Failure Education Principles survey, a widely used, validated tool. Survey data were analyzed to evaluate baseline knowledge and knowledge acquisition in the aggregate and item by item.
Interventions: Home health nurses (n=23) participated in a 2-hour, synchronous, online educational intervention informed by evidence in the literature. The curriculum was based on the five elements of heart failure self-care management.
Results: Nurses’ scores were below the 17.5 points (87.5%) benchmark established for the survey tool from the norms of published studies. The pre-intervention mean score was 14.35 (SD=1.77) compared to 14.52 (SD=1.59) post-intervention, an insignificant change (0.17; SD=1.80).
Conclusions: This project demonstrated nurses’ inadequate knowledge of heart failure self-care management principles. A one-time educational intervention was not sufficient to adequately increase nurses’ knowledge to educate heart failure patients. Project outcomes were consistent with the evidence in the literature that sustained education is needed for home health nurses to obtain sufficient knowledge to educate heart failure patients.
Recommended Citation
Hoffman, Nenette, "Improving Home Health Nurses' Knowledge of Heart Failure Self-Care Management" (2022). Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects. 303.
https://repository.usfca.edu/dnp/303
