Nurse-led telephone interventions for people with cardiac disease: A review of the research literature

Background: Nurse-led telephone follow-up offers a relatively inexpensive method of delivering education and support for assisting recovery in the early discharge period; however, its efficacy is yet to be determined. Aim: To perform a critical integrative review of the research literature addressing the effectiveness of nurse-led telephone interventions for people with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods: A literature search of five health care databases; Sciencedirect, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Pubmed, Proquest and Medline to identify journal articles between 1980 and 2009. People with cardiac disease were considered for inclusion in this review. The search yielded 128 papers, of which 24 met the inclusion criteria. Results: A total of 8330 participants from 24 studies were included in the final review. Seven studies demonstrated statistically significant differences in all outcomes measured, used two group experimental research design and valid and reliable instruments. Some positive effects were detected in eight studies in regards to nurse-led telephone interventions for people with cardiac disease and no differences were detected in nine studies. Discussion: Studies with some positive effects generally had stronger research designs, large samples, used valid and reliable instruments and extensive nurse-led educative interventions. Conclusion: The results suggest that people with cardiac disease showed some benefits from nurse-led/delivered telephone interventions. More rigorous research into this area is needed

Educational settings in the management of patients with heart failure Escenarios de educación para el manejo de pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca Cenários de educação para o manejo de pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca

Congestive heart failure (CHF) presents, besides the magnitude of epidemiological data, relevant characteristics, including frequent hospitalizations caused by severe signs and symptoms, which should be studied to reduce the negative impact of the disease on the public health system. With the advent of several clinical trials in the area of CHF, the treatment has become more complex, with the need of a more organized structure to assist these patients. Education is considered essential to reduce morbidity and mortality. The setting, to begin or to continue the educational process, can be a hospital (hospitalization), outpatient clinic, home, a day-hospital or yet, a combination of these. The main researches in this area recognize and motivate an investigation of other paths to get better results in the pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments. In this study we review recent data, approaching several educational settings in the management of patients with CHF.<br>La insuficiencia cardiaca congestiva (ICC) además de la magnitud epidemiológica, presenta características relevantes, entre las que se incluyen hospitalizaciones frecuentes debidas a la exacerbación de signos y síntomas, los cuales deben ser ampliamente abordados para reducir el impacto negativo de la enfermedad en el sistema público de salud. Con la aparición de nuevos ensayos clínicos en el área de ICC, el tratamiento pasó a ser más complejo, surgiendo la necesidad de una estructura más organizada para la atención de los pacientes afectados. En este contexto, la educación es considerada esencial para reducir la morbimortalidad, siendo el escenario ideal para dar continuidad en el proceso educativo, el ambiente hospitalario (internación), el ambiente de ambulatorio, el domiciliar, en la rutina diaria del hospital, o en la combinación de éstos. Investigadores del área reconocen y estimulan a la investigación, de tal modo que sea posible mejorar los resultados en el tratamiento farmacológico y no-farmacológico. En este artículo revisaremos información contemporánea, abordando los diversos escenarios de educación para el manejo del pacientes con ICC.<br>A insuficiência cardíaca congestiva (ICC) apresenta, além da magnitude dos dados epidemiológicos, características relevantes, incluindo hospitalizações freqüentes devidas à exacerbação dos sinais e sintomas, que devem ser mais amplamente abordados para reduzir o impacto negativo da doença sobre o sistema público de saúde. Com o advento dos vários ensaios clínicos na área de ICC, o tratamento da doença passou a ser mais complexo, necessitando de uma estrutura organizada para o atendimento de pacientes por ela acometidos. A educação, nesse contexto, é considerada essencial para reduzir a morbimortalidade. O cenário, para o início ou a continuidade do processo educativo, pode ser hospitalar (internação), ambulatorial, domiciliar, hospital-dia ou, ainda, ser uma combinação desses ambientes. Os principais pesquisadores nessa área reconhecem e estimulam a investigação de outros caminhos, que melhorem os resultados no tratamento farmacológico e não-farmacológico. Neste artigo, revisaremos dados contemporâneos, abordando os diversos cenários da educação para o manejo de pacientes com ICC