What are the nursing interventions?

From the Guidelines

Nursing interventions should focus on providing systematic follow-up care, including screening for cognitive impairments, promoting self-management, and offering emotional support to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. This is based on the most recent and highest quality study, which found that nursing interventions can improve cardiovascular mortality, depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, anxiety, self-confidence, and disease knowledge in patients after cardiac arrest 1. The study also highlighted the importance of follow-up care in addressing cognitive and emotional problems, which are common among cardiac arrest survivors.

Some key aspects of nursing interventions include:

• Screening for cognitive impairments using structured interviews or checklists, such as the Checklist Cognition and Emotion or the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) 1
• Providing information and support to patients and their caregivers on physical and emotional challenges, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD), regaining daily activities, partner relationships, and dealing with healthcare providers 1
• Promoting self-management skills, such as self-efficacy, to increase patients' confidence and ability to manage their condition 1
• Offering emotional support and addressing emotional problems, such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress, which are common among cardiac arrest survivors and their caregivers 1

Effective nursing interventions require critical thinking, technical skills, and compassionate care delivery to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. By providing systematic follow-up care and addressing the physical and emotional needs of patients and their caregivers, nurses can play a crucial role in improving the overall well-being and quality of life of cardiac arrest survivors.

From the FDA Drug Label

1. 3 Nursing Mothers Milk of lactating rats contains radioactivity following administration of 14C lisinopril. It is not known whether this drug is excreted in human milk Because many drugs are excreted in human milk and because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from ACE inhibitors, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or discontinue lisinopril, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.

The nursing intervention for a mother taking lisinopril is to weigh the importance of the drug to the mother against the potential risk to the nursing infant.

• A decision should be made to either discontinue nursing or discontinue lisinopril.
• The mother should be aware of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from ACE inhibitors 2.

From the Research

Nursing Intervention in Heart Failure

• Nursing interventions play a crucial role in the assessment and planning of patient care, particularly in heart failure patients 3
• Person-centred care is essential in assessing patient needs, and all nursing interventions should be evidence-based 3
• The use of diuretics, such as furosemide, is a common intervention in heart failure patients to manage volume overload 4, 5, 6
• The choice of diuretic and dosage depends on various factors, including patient clinical situation, presence of co-morbidities, and potential side effects 5, 6

Diuretic Therapy in Heart Failure

• Diuretics are the main treatment for hypervolemia in heart failure patients 5
• Loop diuretics, such as furosemide, are the most commonly used diuretics in critically ill patients with volume overload 6
• The efficacy of loop diuretics depends on factors such as tubular concentration, interaction with albumin, and diuretic resistance 6
• Combination therapy with other agents, such as thiazides or thiazide-like diuretics, can be used to overcome loop diuretic resistance 6

Importance of Evidence-Based Practice

• Nursing interventions should be guided by evidence-based practice to ensure optimal patient outcomes 3
• The use of evidence-based practice can help reduce the risk of adverse events and improve patient care 7, 3
• Continuous education and updates on the latest research and guidelines are essential for nurses to provide high-quality care 3