eCardioVascular Beat

A simple tool reduces heart failure readmissions

Mary Spiering, R.N., M.N., C.N.S.

Providence Heart and Vascular Institute

More than a million Americans are hospitalized each year for heart failure, which is one of the primary reasons for unplanned readmissions to the hospital. Several health care systems and hospitals are focusing on improving heart failure care to reduce costs and improve patient outcomes.

With this in mind, Providence Heart and Vascular Institute implemented a pilot program that uses a simple approach to help meet the needs of the patient and to reduce the confusion associated with newly diagnosed or ongoing chronic heart failure.

This simple approach is commonly referred to as the Heart Failure Zone Tool. Originally used for children with asthma, it quickly adapted to other diseases such as heart failure.

Nurses on the Providence St. Vincent Medical Center cardiology unit tailored the brightly colored tool for their patients by adding evidence-based information such as daily weight monitoring, medication adherence, dietary instructions and symptom recognition.

This Heart Failure Zone Tool is used on the telemetry units at Providence St. Vincent and Providence Portland medical centers, and is hung on the wall of patient rooms upon admission.

Each shift, the nursing staff emphasizes the important teaching points and asks the patient or caregiver if they have any questions. Patients are instructed to write down their weight and “zone level” on the tool while in the hospital so they can continue this routine at home.

After Katherine De Jesus, R.N., a nurse on the Providence St. Vincent telemetry unit, explained the tool to one of her newly admitted patients, the patient exclaimed: “Why, I’ve been in the yellow zone for the past week, but did not know to call the doctor.” The patient might have avoided a hospitalization by calling her provider earlier.

Interested in using this tool in your practice? Call Providence Heart and Vascular Institute at 503-216-7153.