RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Managing Patients With Heart Failure: A Qualitative Study of Multidisciplinary Teams With Specialist Heart Failure Nurses
JF The Annals of Family Medicine
JO Ann Fam Med
FD American Academy of Family Physicians
SP 466
OP 471
DO 10.1370/afm.1845
VO 13
IS 5
A1 Margaret Glogowska
A1 Rosemary Simmonds
A1 Sarah McLachlan
A1 Helen Cramer
A1 Tom Sanders
A1 Rachel Johnson
A1 Umesh T. Kadam
A1 Daniel S. Lasserson
A1 Sarah Purdy
YR 2015
UL http://www.annfammed.org/content/13/5/466.abstract
AB PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of health care clinicians working in multidisciplinary teams that include specialist heart failure nurses when caring for the management of heart failure patients.METHODS We used a qualitative in-depth interview study nested in a broader ethnographic study of unplanned admissions in heart failure patients (HoldFAST). We interviewed 24 clinicians across primary, secondary, and community care in 3 locations in the Midlands, South Central, and South West of England.RESULTS Within a framework of the role and contribution of the heart failure specialist nurse, our study identified 2 thematic areas that the clinicians agreed still represent particular challenges when working with heart failure patients. The first was communication with patients, in particular explaining the diagnosis and helping patients to understand the condition. The participants recognized that such communication was most effective when they had a long-term relationship with patients and families and that the specialist nurse played an important part in achieving this relationship. The second was communication within the team. Multidisciplinary input was especially needed because of the complexity of many patients and issues around medications, and the participants believed the specialist nurse may facilitate team communication.CONCLUSIONS The study highlights the role of specialist heart failure nurses in delivering education tailored to patients and facilitating better liaison among all clinicians, particularly when dealing with the management of comorbidities and drug regimens. The way in which specialist nurses were able to be caseworkers for their patients was perceived as a method of ensuring coordination and continuity of care.