Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a costly diagnosis among millions of individuals within the United States annually. The impact of this diagnosis is more than 30 billion dollars spent due to the effects and treatment of CHF. Evidence-based strategies to improve the care of individuals with CHF is necessary and relevant to nurse practitioners who are significant stakeholders in the task of improving outcomes for CHF patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of an evidence-based self-management approach to CHF utilizing a multidisciplinary shared medical appointment (SMA). Thirteen patients were enrolled to participate in a weekly SMA over a six-week period from May 2018-October 2018. There were two six-week sessions, one from May-June 2018, and a second session from August – October 2018. A total of four participants completed the first six-week session and a total of three participants completed the second six-week session. Baseline data included systolic blood pressure, weight, depression scoring using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), quality of life (QOL) scoring using the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ), and health promotion behaviors using the Health Promotion Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-II). The PHQ-9 was administered again after three weeks of intervention. Lastly, the PHQ-9, MLHFQ, and HPLP-II were administered once again after the completion of six weekly sessions. Weight and systolic blood pressure were also re-evaluated after the completion of the intervention. Topics covered during the six weekly sessions included: definition of CHF and understanding vital signs, heart healthy nutrition, medications, exercise and CHF, fluid balance, and diagnostic testing. Multidisciplinary personnel involved in the sessions included a chef, nutritionist, dietitian, exercise physiologist, pharmacist and a family nurse practitioner. Seven patients completed the study. Compared with pre-intervention there was improvement in mean depression scores (M = 4.77 pre-intervention, M = 3.00 mid-intervention, M = 1.86 post-intervention), quality of life (M = 9.46 pre- intervention, M = 4.86 post-intervention), and health promotion behaviors (pre-intervention: N = 13, M = 2.49, SD = 4.27, range = 1.29; post-intervention: N = 7, M = 2.66, SD = 0.51, range = 1.29). Short-term multidisciplinary SMAs focused on self-management improved depression, QOL, and health promotion among patients with CHF.
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