Outpatient HF Management Resources

[EGVnurse]

Hello, I'm a RN working at an education-based Diabetes Clinic. We mainly see GDM, type 1, type 2, pre-diabetes, obesity, and failure to thrive.

However, we're in the middle of changing over to a medical model that will encompass COPD and CHF patients. We hope to become a chronic disease-focused clinic that may be able to serve as a medical home in the future. That is a long way away.

But right now, we may start opening up appointments for our RN's and RD's (all CDE's) to start seeing CHF (and COPD) patients for educational services only (not medical management at this time).

I'm looking for helpful patient education materials (preferably free) and curriculum for the CHF patient population when it comes to self-care in the outpatient/home setting (diet, exercise, medications, symptoms and signs, what is HF, etc).

If you have any helpful resources, please pass them along. Thank you!

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

Lots of stuff from HFSA and AHA

[EGVnurse]

Any CE's, preferably free?

[sugarmagnoliaRN]

The AHA has lots of good info on diet! When teaching CHF patients, I always emphasize the importance of taking their meds - some folks will miss a couple doses and think it's fine because the onset of an exacerbation can be insidious. A good trick to teach them for restricting their fluids is to save an empty 2L bottle (in America, it's a pretty safe bet that someone in their house drinks soda) and fill it with water at the beginning of the day. When they get a drink, tell them to first fill their cup with water from the coke bottle, then pour that out and fill the cup with whatever they want to drink. That way, they have a good visual aid for where they are in their fluid intake for the day. Sorry, I know you were asking for things you can hand them to take home but those are still good points to be driving home for them!