What Is Congestive Heart Failure?
Congestive Heart failure is a condition where the heart muscle weakens from damage or overwork. The heart cannot supply the blood necessary to meet the
body’s needs.
Signs And Symptoms Of CHF
- Weight gain, ( 3-5 pounds in a week)
- Swelling of legs or ankles
- Shortness of breathe
- Fatigue
- Restlessness
- Excessive urination at night
- Elevated blood pressure
- Dry cough or wheezing
- Unable to lie flat at night
Key Prevention & Home Care Goals
- Weigh daily to detect fluid gain
- Take medication as prescribed
- Eat a low salt low fat diet
- Monitor blood pressure daily
- Avoid stress and fatigue
- Avoid alcohol and tobacco
- Take pulse rate daily
- Dress warmly in cold weather
- Elevate legs often
- Restrict fluids per doctor order
Report And Escalate To Care teams
- Abnormal blood pressure
- Shortness of breathe
- Pulse less than 60/ greater than 100
- Swelling of legs or ankles
- Weight gain of 3-5 pounds within a week
- Persistent cough
Home Care Is Appropriate/ Advised For Patients Who Have Had
- Recent hospitalization
- Diagnosis or recent onset of disease
- Fluctuating or unstable vital signs
- Orthopnoea
- Peripheral edema
- Increased fatigue
- Activity intolerance
- Initiation of new medication regimen
- Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea
- Patient requiring fluid/dietary modifications
- Patient requiring oxygen therapy
- Limited endurance
- Frequent Emergency Room visits (three or more over six months) indicate the need for a skilled nurse to educate the patient about the disease process and management
How Home Care Assists Patients With Chronic Congestive Heart Failure?
- Observation and assessment
- Management and evaluation
- Energy conservation
- Compensatory techniques
- Medication education
- Fluid intake
- Diuretic therapy
- Disease process education
- Electrolyte replacement
- Safety education
- Ambulation techniques
- Transfer techniques
- Weight monitoring
- Cardiac assessment
- Assistance with ADL’s