Congestive heart failure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Congestive heart failure - Essay Example This is most applicable to diseases that are most often found among the susceptible members of the population, such as the elderly, the children, and people with compromised immune systems. The need to integrate several concepts makes nursing a dynamic and challenging career. The identification of roles, potential legal issues, and evidence-based practices with regards to the care of patients, particularly those that have congestive heart failure (CHR), as well as the integration of these practices with the conceptual framework of the Helene Fuld School of Nursing (HFSON) shall be discussed in this paper. Congestive Heart Failure as a Health Problem Congestive heart failure (CHF) is one of the most debilitating diseases that affect adults, with up to 670,000 people getting diagnosed annually, as well as one of the primary reasons why people at the retirement age get hospitalized (WebMD, 2012). It can occur either as an acute or chronic condition among susceptible individuals, and it could affect the left, right, or both ventricles of the heart (ADAM, 2012). It is not necessary that all heart failures are the results of heart attacks, arrhythmias, or heart valve diseases, but these can be the major causes for the onset of the disease. Other causes of CHF are: ischemic heart disease; hypertension; alcohol; viral myocarditis; thyroid disease; cytotoxic drugs; familial congenital heart disease; amyloidosis; sarcoidosis; and hemachromatosis (Johnson and Brooksby, 2009). A person with CHF develops a weakened heart, and its thickening and weakening causes it to fail in pumping enough oxygenated blood within the body, which in turn causes the patients to have fatigue and slow movements. Aside from these symptoms, CHF patients also have lung crepitations, pulmodary edema, swollen ankles, enlarged liver, or dyspnea (Paulus, et al., 2007). If the onset of the disease had early prognosis, patients may have better chances of survival and quality of life by undergoing surgic al enhancements of the heart such as bypass surgery or having an electronic pacemaker, and followed up by medications such as ACEI, ARB’s and diuretics. But if not, and the disease has been long term, palliative or end of life care is given to CHF patients (Johnson and Brooksby, 2009). Whether under outpatient, inpatient or palliative care settings, nurses have an important role in providing care for patients with CHF, and they able to give this care by having proper lessons and trainings, as well as being familiar with the guiding principles in the nursing profession. These are usually provided for by the schools that nursing students study in. Integration of the HFSON Conceptual Framework in Handling Patients with CHF The Helene Fuld School of Nursing or HFSON is a college that recognizes nursing as a multi-level career, which is the root of its commitment in advancing licensed practical nurses to associate degree registered nurse level in the short span of one year (Helene Fuld College of Nursing, [HFSON], 2011). Their curriculum is based on the philosophy, the faculty’s beliefs on education, nursing, nursing education, person, health, and environment, and the incorporation of the legal definition of