Short Stay Management of Heart Failure

This handbook, under the auspices of the Society of Chest Pain Centers, is the first roadmap to treatment of heart failure patients in an observation unit. It gives practitioners a full understanding of the medical requirements, administrative processes, and regulatory issues involved in observation unit care of heart failure patients. The authors offer practical guidelines for management of heart failure in an observation unit, including admission criteria, initial evaluation, treatment protocols, drugs that should and should not be used, and discharge planning. Appendices contain treatment pathways and algorithms; sample orders; discharge information; reminder cards; and diet instructions.

Introduction: Heart Failure in the Observation Unit W. Frank Peacock The Out of Hospital Management of Acute Heart Failure Marvin A. Wayne and Vincent N. Mosesso Observation Unit Admission Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria Sean P. Collins Acute Exacerbations of Heart Failure: Initial Evaluation and Management in the Acute Care Setting Douglas S. Ander The Process and Economics of Heart Failure Sandra Sieck Observation Unit Treatment Protocols J. Douglas Kirk Drugs That Should Not Be Used in the Observation Unit Management of Heart Failure: The Adverse Effects of Selected Drugs Harischandra B. Karunaratne, Arti N. Bhavsar, and Nicole Rosenke Performance Measurement, Staffing, and Facilities Requirements for Observation Unit Heart Failure Management Nancy M. Albert Emergency Department and Observation Unit Discharge Criteria Deborah B. Diercks The Essentials of Patient Education in the Emergency Department Robin J. Trupp and Shelly Selby Discharge Planning For Heart Failure in the Short Stay Unit Ginger Conway Chronic Heart Failure Management: Drugs Recommended for Routine Use Robert J. Stomel and Majid Qazi APPENDICES Treatment Pathways and Algorithms Algorithm for Early Goal-Directed Therapy for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Algorithm for the Early Stabilization of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in the Emergency Department Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (ADHF) Treatment Algorithm Emergency Medicine Heart Failure Algorithm ADHERE Registry Heart Failure Critical Pathway CHF Level of Care Algorithm Congestive Heart Failure Physician Protocol Checklist Observation Congestive Heart Failure Patient Pathway: Day One Observation Congestive Heart Failure Patient Pathway: Day Two MCP-Observation Congestive Heart Failure Heart Failure Pathway Heart Failure Pathway Heart Failure Orders Emergency Medicine Heart Failure Orders Heart Failure Admission Orders Emergency Department Orders Heart Failure Admission Orders: Evidence-Based Practice Congestive Heart Failure Order Set for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Patients: Emergency Department Order Sheet Clinical Decision Unit Admissions Orders for Congestive Heart Failure Heart Failure Observation Orders: Evidence-Based Practice Standing Orders: Observation Heart Failure CHF RDTC Orders Discharge Information Heart Failure Patient Information Observation Unit Discharge Guidelines Heart Failure Discharge Declaration Nursing Discharge Summary Discharge Instructions: Observation Heart Failure Congestive Heart Failure: Discharge Teaching Instructions Support Group Schedule Examples Reminder Cards Patient Reminder Card Pocket Cards: RAPID Heart Failure Assessment Guide Pocket Cards: IV Vasoactive Medications Pocket Card Diet Instructions Two Gram Sodium Diet Instruction Manual