Acute exacerbated heart failure patients’ admission to ICUs: predisposing factors and nursing performance

Background Worldwide, acute exacerbated heart failure (AEHF) is a life-threatening disease requiring urgent intervention and intensive care admission. The complexity of AEHF management in the ICU necessitates a comprehensive understanding of its predisposing factors and the crucial role of nurses to ensure optimal patients’ outcomes. Aim To identify various predisposing factors for ICU admission among AEHF patients and the related critical care nurses’ performance. Research questions To fulfil the aim of this study three research questions were formulated Setting Two ICUs affiliated to the General Authority for Teaching Hospitals and Institutes. Sample A convenience sample consisting of 30 nurses, in addition to a purposive sample of 60 critically ill patients. Tools Five tools were formulated, tested and used in this study. Results Patients were mostly males, in the age group of 50–65-year. Around half of them were working and nonsmoker, and all did not participate in any sports activities. The majority had comorbidity diseases such as ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus and Class III heart failure severity. Patients presented mainly with dyspnea at rest, orthopnea, and peripheral pitting oedema in percentages of 98.3, 90.0, and 68.3%, respectively. The main causes for ICU admission were progressive cardiomyopathy and valvular regurgitation with percentages of 68.3 and 25%, respectively, compounded by a lack of adherence to medications, diet, and regular follow-up visits. Regarding critical care nurses, the majority were females, technical nursing institute graduates, 20 to 30 years of age and they did not attend training about heart failure in percentages of 73.3, 53.3, 73.3, and 83.3%, respectively. The majority had unsatisfactory knowledge (83.3%) and unsatisfactory practice level (100%). Conclusion Various predisposing factors contributed to AEHF. In addition to unsatisfactory knowledge and practices of critical care nurses. These represent a major challenge to achieve optimal patient outcomes and highlight the importance of recognizing the predisposing factors for ICUs’ admissions and optimizing nursing care to improve outcomes. Recommendation Replication of the study on a larger probability sample and provide comprehensive predischarge teaching for patients with AEHF and their families, emphasizing medication adherence, lifestyle and dietary management, follow-up care, and early recognition of warning signs. Additionally, implement regular and periodic training programs for critical care nurses on the care of AEHF patients.