Date
5-25-2023
Department
School of Nursing
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Chair
Sharon Kopis
Keywords
hospice, palliative, terminal heart failure, congestive heart failure, caregiver education, provider education, patient education, readmissions, revocation, end of life
Disciplines
Nursing
Recommended Citation
Sanford, Sierra Spain, "Improved Education for Caregivers of Hospice Heart Failure Patients to Reduce Hospital Admissions: An Integrative Review" (2023). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 4490.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4490
Abstract
Heart disease is the second-leading cause of death in the United States, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite being the leading cause of death, heart failure only comprises 15% of hospice deaths and remains the most likely to be discharged from hospice services due to acute hospitalizations compared to all other hospice diagnoses. This leads to low patient and family satisfaction as well as high medical costs. This integrative review synthesizes current published evidence highlighting the need to improve caregiver education for symptom management of terminal heart failure patients in hospice. The literature supports that improved caregiver education can lead to reduced rates of revocation and inpatient hospitalization at end of life. This integrative review serves as a catalyst for change for healthcare providers for improved collaboration, communication, and education for patients and families at end of life.
