Heart failure nurse specialist crisis interventions and avoided hospital admissions

This service evaluation identified the crisis interventions carried out by a heart failure nurse specialist working across the acute and primary care sector of a rural Trust which resulted in avoided hospital admissions. A note trawl was carried out for patients who had an avoided hospital admission, within a 1–year period, as a result of crisis intervention by the specialist nurse. At least 160 hospital admissions were avoided as a result of crisis interventions by the heart failure nurse specialist, resulting in savings of approximately £544 434. Of the avoided hospital admissions requiring crisis intervention, 80% occurred owing to planned care with the heart failure nurse specialist. The most frequent intervention by the heart failure nurse specialist involved commencing or increasing diuretics in 31% of cases. The evaluation demonstrated that frequent review of patients by the heart failure nurse specialist resulted in avoided hospital admissions. Recommendations include dissemination of findings regarding the cost effectiveness of the heart failure nurse specialist's role to inform service development. The need for further research relating to the effective education of patients about their heart failure is highlighted.