Running head: CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE

Congestive Heart Failure Erin White Ferris State University

CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE In the article the evaluation of patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) using generic measurement forms consisting of short form 36 (SF-36) and Dartmouth COOP charts. The subjects actively participated in this study and consisted of patients who have CHF with comorbidities and patients who denied the presence of other illnesses. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of CHF on functioning and well-being using generic measures of outcome (Jenkinson, Jenkinson, Shepperd, Layte & Petersen, 1997). The participants were patients who have CHF and over the age of sixty years of age. The test was administered with an interviewer-questionnaire method before starting medication treatment of angiotensin enzyme inhibitors (ACE) as well as compliance to a four week follow up. The participants were asked to complete a SF-36, COOP chart, oxygen cost diagram and to assess their health state in the beginning of the study, after treatment the patient was to re-assess their over health status. The results of this study by administering and having the participant complete the health assessment implies the patients functioning and well-being are significantly compromised by CHF. A patient with CHF has limited physical function including everyday activities and using the ACE inhibitors to improve quality of life for the participant was limited. When the participants were administered a single-item global assessment the patients stated their overall health status was good and they exhibited improvement on their quality of life. The study consisted of three limitations, the first is the questionnaire the participants were asked to complete was not extensively reviewed. Second the baseline which measured the quality of life indicated low level impairments so the impact of the treatment could be limited at best (Jenkinson, Jenkinson, Shepperd, Layte & Petersen, 1997). The last limitation is most patients report other illness and this may mask the symptoms of CHF. The study mentioned the

CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE limitation of the questionnaire not being properly reviewed and focused on the functional health status limits the participants to explore CHF and the clinical manifestations that accompany this disease. The nursing care presented in this study may differ with the population of the study focusing solely on a specific gender to narrow the research of this study and compare results of alleviating symptoms of CHF to a specific gender. Another nursing care would be if the participants presented with CHF and one other specific disease, to eliminate multiple symptoms from comorbidities. Developing nursing diagnosis for the participants with CHF consist of impaired gas exchange r/t excessive fluid in interstitial space of lungs, ineffective health maintenance r/t deficient knowledge regarding care of disease and activity intolerance r/t weakness. The participants outcome for this study is to verbalize an understanding of the need to gradually increase activity based on testing, tolerance and symptoms, as well as demonstrates increased activity intolerance. The nursing interventions for this study is to assess the client daily for appropriateness of activity and activity intolerance, since the participants in this study state their own health function and well-being an intervention to objectively assess their health would be beneficial. Another intervention which would correlate with the previous intervention is if the participant of this study is capable of walking, consider a six minute walk test before treatment to determine the patients physical abilities and a post six minute walk test to record the results. The results of this intervention would be an objective way to determine the results of this study. The relevance of this study is to assess participants functional health status and wellbeing by having the patient actively participate in the treatment, including the subjective interview. The patient was prescribed ACE inhibitors over a four week study, and then attended

CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE a post treatment appointment to record the results of the treatment. This study is beneficial to nurses to understand the patients view of their health might not resemble the objective data recorded. The nurses role as an educator is essential in patient care to ensure the patient understands their disease and the symptoms associated.

CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE Reference Ackley, B. J., & Ladwig, G. B. (2004). Nursing diagnosis handbook: A guide to planning care. (6th ed.). St. Louis, Missouri: Mosby. Jenkinson, C., Jenkinson, D., Shepperd, S., Layte, R., & Petersen, S. (1997). Evaluation of treatment for congestive heart failure in patients aged 60 years and older using generic measures of health status (sf-36 and coop charts). Age and Ageing, 26, 7-13. Retrieved from http://ageing.oxfordjournals.org/