Correlation of the effect of structured nursing intervention on patients with chronic heart failure and patients with acute heart failure in terms of quality of life and self -management

Introduction In recent years, Greece has seen concerted effort to establish nurse-led heart failure (HF) clinics, but with minimal integrated results. Aim of the study To evaluate a structured nurse-led educational intervention and telephone follow-up of patients with chronic HF attending the HF clinic and patients with acute HF visiting the emergency department for the first time in a hospital. Methodology Initial results of structured nursing interventions for 100 patients with chronic HF attending the HF clinic of the Hospital, and 100 patients with acute HF who visit the emergency department during a period of one year. The final outcomes relate to self-management of HF, health-related quality of life and self-assessment of mental health (depression). The Greek versions of the tools were used: a) European Heart Failure Self- Care Behavior Scale for self-management of HF, b) Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire for health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) and c) Zung Self-Assessment of Depression scale. Descriptive statistics and parametric and non-parametric statistical methods were used. Result Nurse–led self–management program showed greater HR-QoL improvement vs chronic HF patients receiving standard care (b = -0,084, p<0.001). Over time, both improved significantly, but acute HF gains were larger (b = -0,078, p<0.001). Depression scores were initially better in chronic HF but unchanged over time in both (b = -0,005, p<0.441). Conclusions Nurse- led self-management programs significantly enhance HR-QoL and self-care in acute HF patients, with limited depression impact.