EP Lab Digest - May 2008 - (Page 50)

50 EP MEETINGS MAY 2008 Striving for Excellence in the Care of Cardiac Patients Tone M. Norekval, Chair of the Council on Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions (CCNAP) European Society of Cardiology T he 8th Annual Spring Meeting on Cardiovascular Nursing took place March 14-15 in Malmö, Sweden. It was organized by the Council on Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions (CCNAP) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). and lifestyle change recommendations. A number of presentations this year showed that education, counseling and follow-up of patients by nurses significantly increases patients’ handling of risk factors. This leads us to believe that more nurse-led patient education programs and clinics would be useful. In addition, multidisciplinary ambulatory preventive programs should be available to all coronary patients. The intervention of spouses and other helpers has also shown to improve the tendency towards poorer self-care over time. Studies showed that patients who made changes were more likely to have partners that had also made changes, supporting the principle of family-based CVD prevention. This is important, since information is often given only to patients. It also indicates that unmarried patients may need additional support during recovery. This year we also looked into caring for caregivers. Not many studies have taken into account that nursing someone with heart failure or a relative who has recently undergone major surgery is a family affair. Caregivers experience physical and psychological changes due to stress and fatigue.They should be considered in our rehabilitation programs. EUROASPIRE III results were also discussed at our meeting. This survey was conducted in 75 hospitals in 22 countries in 2007, investigating lifestyle Figure 1. Tone Norekval, Chair of the Council on Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions of the European Society of Cardiology. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of death in the European Union, killing over 2 million people per year. These deaths cost the economy 301.5 billion U.S. dollars annually. Many of these deaths could be averted with proper prevention policies. Cardiac nurses and allied health professionals are on the frontline of the battle to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in Europe. Cardiac research and development lead to rapid clinical changes, which require nurses to be updated with the latest information on treatment and care.The CCNAP Spring Meeting helps us to keep abreast of this advancement to the benefit of our patients. Sessions this year included topics on “Acute and Chronic Heart Failure,” “Improving Care in Hospital and Community,” “Coping with Patient and Family Issues at End of Life,” “Prevention and Support in Transplant,” and “Can We Achieve Excellence in Care of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation?” among others. Because we are in the forefront of the drive for prevention, this year it was an important topic on our agenda including abstracts on how to assess risk, advise patients and treat them. Patient adherence to treatment is also one of the areas we are concerned about. Individuals left on their own do not seem to stick to prescribed treatment Figure 2. The scientific program of the Spring Meeting covered three major areas: clinical practice, scientific knowledge, and the education of cardiovascular nurses.

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of EP Lab Digest - May 2008

EP Lab Digest - May 2008 Is There an Under-Referral of Women for Atrial Fibrillation Ablation? A Hybrid Approach to the Cure of Atrial Fibrillation Contents Letter from the Editor Spotlight Interview: University of Michigan Health System 10-Minute Interview: Amit J. Shanker, MD Modular EP Units: Are They Possible? One Hospital’s Experience All About My Job: Technician Supervisor (New Column!) Alcohol Septal Ablation in the Cath Lab: What is it All About? About the Canadian Heart Rhythm Society: Interview with Martin J. Gardner, MD, FRCP(C), FACC Email Discussion Group: May 2008 Second Annual Salary Survey My First Year in Electrophysiology: What Have I Got Myself Into? Highlight on Technology: Video-Audio Integration for the EP Lab On the Horizon: A New Remote Catheter Manipulation System Striving for Excellence in the Care of Cardiac Patients Five Reasons to Participate with a Professional Organization Suspected Shunting of Defibrillation Energy in the EP Lab Can Digital Music Players Cause Interference with Implantable Devices? ECG 101: Ambulatory ECG Monitoring Events Calendar Industry News and Products Classifieds Advertisers Index

EP Lab Digest - May 2008

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