Question

1. Which laboratory results are consistent with CHF?

2. A client with a diagnosis of congestive heart failure (CHF) is being discharged from the hospital. Describe appropriate patient teaching for prescribed medications and diet before discharge?

3. The home health nurse is making an initial visit to the patient recently discharged form the hospital. What would the nurse include in the home care assessment?

Answer 1

1. The lab results that would be consistent with CHF are:

#BNP( B type natriuretic peptide) to analyse the left ventricle to help diagnose and grade the severity.

# ECG which may show QRS variability. Detects heart rhythms.

# stress test to check the work load of the heart

# MRI to check for the infaracts

# coronary angiogram to check for the blockage

2) Patient teaching plays a significant role in the care as this makes the individual feel confident enough to enhance themselves with self care and whom to contact for, how to detect the emergency.

Medication

# educate the patient to take medication as prescribed

# educate about the side effects like dizziness or drowsiness and ask the patient not to drive long or go alone.

# if the patient miss the dose educate them to take as soon as they remember.

# educate if they miss a dose and it's time for them for next dose they have to just take next dose at normal time.

# have the correct dosage, not to mix up with other medications.

Diet

# instruct to follow the heart healthy diet which is limited to salt intake.

# limiting canned and packaged fast food

# monitor for intake and check for heart workload as too much drinking can make heart failure worse.

# alcoholism to be avoided or limited

# always remember have salt free diet

# 5 servings of fruits and vegetables with no sodium contents in it.

3) when the home care nurse visits the recently discharged patient from hospital the home care assessment includes:

# overall heath assessment

# systemic assessment for lung sounds, heart sounds, rate rhythm, weight gain, edema.

# medication compliance

# dietary patterns

# self care management progress of patient

# next follow up opinion from patient