Verification of knowledge about self-management in patients with heart failure

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a disease with increasing incidence, which requires an adequate and costly management. Repeated hospitalisations due to decompensated CHF contribute to disease progression and herald dismal prognosis. An important goal of heart failure clinics is reduction in number of hospitalizations due to decompensated CHF. The main approaches to reach this aim seem to be effective diagnostics and treatment of CHF, and importantly, education of patients and their families. We aimed to evaluate knowledge of CHF patients regarding self-care in secondary prevention of CHF. We constructed three hypotheses and three research questions to reach the goal of the project. The theoretical part described recommended life-style interventions, pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic CHF management, and specifically, the role of nurses in education of patients with CHF. The practical part described the methods of analysis, the study group and the process of evaluation. To fulfil the study goal, we performed collection of data using qualitative and quantitative methods of research. The qualitative part of the research project included a non-standardized questionnaire for patients with CHF. A total of 260 questionnaires were distributed in six heart failure clinics. 183 completed questionnaires were returned and analysed. The obtained data were evaluated using descriptive statistical methods. Pearson´s chi-test and Student´s t-test were applied to test the hypotheses. Collection of qualitative data was performed using the technique of a semi-structured interview based on pre-prepared questions. The study respondents included general nurses from out-patient heart failure clinics. Six of nine contacted nurse respondents agreed to participate. Answers were recorded on Dictaphone. Data were analysed using the method of "card display". The quantitative part tested the following hypotheses: 1. CHF patients know symptoms and signs of decompensated CHF. 2. CHF patients follow the life-style recommendations. 3. CHF patients perform daily self-monitoring of their weight, blood pressure and pulse. Our study revealed insufficient knowledge of patients regarding symptoms of possible CHF decompensation. This finding was alarming because suboptimal knowledge of symptoms of decompensated CHF may cause inadequate response of the patient and may delay initiation of treatment. Assessment of compliance with life-style measures revealed that most patients did not use tobacco products and had a limited alcohol consumption. Most individuals reported a regular use of heart failure medication and knew the timing of the next follow-up in their heart failure clinic. Life-style measures included also some dietary restrictions modified by the current nutritional status. Respondents preferred recommended food over inappropriate foodstuffs, however, they did not follow neither the salt restriction nor the optimal frequency of meals. Most respondents did not report a regular exercise A significant ignorance was found in the process of self-monitoring. Most respondents did not monitor their body weight, blood pressure and pulse. The qualitative assessment evaluated the following questions: 1. Do we educate the CHF patients appropriately? 2. Are we able as nurses to pass correct information to CHF patients? 3. How is the process of education implemented in practice? Based on the above mentioned methods, we found that the process of education is a domain of doctors. Nurses have only a limited role in education of CHF patients..