Improving Self-Care Measures of Hypertension Through Implementation of an Education and Action Plan

Hypertension (HTN) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and one of the most common conditions seen by primary care providers. Current clinical practice guidelines recommend lifestyle modifications for patients with elevated blood pressure (BP) and diagnosed HTN. Despite these recommendations, many patients diagnosed with HTN make insufficient modifications to their lifestyle. The purpose of this project was to determine the impact of implementing an education session, with development of a patient action plan, along with 4-week, 8-week, and 12-week follow-ups on the adoption of self-care measures for HTN. Participants had their BP, height, and weight measured along with completing the Hypertension Self-Care Profile (HBP-SCP) Behavior questionnaire. The participants then underwent a 45-60-minute education session along with developing self-care goals for HTN. Participants received a 4-week and 8-week telephone follow-up. At 12-weeks participants had their biometric readings repeated and the HBP-SCP completed post-intervention. Paired t-test results were significant for improvement in the HBP-SCP scores post-intervention (p=.001). The participants had a mean improvement in BP but a mean increase in weight. Findings from this Doctor of Nursing Practice project indicate an education session, with development of an action plan and frequent follow-ups, does increase a patient’s adoption of self-care measures for HTN. Therefore, self-care measures are an important component of the treatment plan for patients with HTN and should be a focus for healthcare providers