Authors

• Dragana Jurčić — Klinička bolnica Dubrava, Zagreb, Hrvatska — ORCID: 0000-0003-2926-1258
• Petra Lauš — Klinička bolnica Dubrava, Zagreb, Hrvatska — ORCID: 0000-0001-9240-0105
• Milka Grubišić — Klinička bolnica Dubrava, Zagreb, Hrvatska — ORCID: 0000-0003-2092-5396

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) becomes an increasingly important public health problem. When optimal therapeutic therapy becomes insufficient for the treatment of patients with HF, only two methods of treatment remain: heart transplantation and mechanical circulatory support. Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) is used as a form of treatment for patients with advanced HF. (1) In the treatment of patients with MCS, experts from different areas, technology engineers, surgeons, cardiologists, perfusionists, anesthesiologists and nurses are involved in health care process. This includes the application of all available knowledge in the area of nursing in accordance with the competences of nurses. Patient health care is based on continuous monitoring of patients and devices and accompanying equipment. Knowledge and handling of the device allows to detect unfavorable changes with the aim of preventing the consequences that may endanger the life of a patient. Nursing care with patients with MCS is very demanding area of nursing care, and requires continuous education, tracking of the latest data, holistic approach, and professional co-operation with team members. Regular assessment, monitoring, monitoring and recording of vital signs, early complication recognition, and aseptic work are the main tasks of nursing care in patients with MCS. The education of health personnel, the teamwork of all health professionals is focused on identifying problems, ways of treating patients and educating patients and their families. The nursing role is to provide support with their care to recognize and relate to the problem, to teach the patient and family all the skills that will help them overcome the difficulties, adapt and accept the new situation.

Keywords

nursing care, mechanical circulatory support

DOI

Literature

1. Pagani FD, Miller LW, Russell SD, Aaronson KD, John R, Boyle AJ, et al. HeartMate II Investigators. Extended mechanical circulatory support with a continuous-flow rotary left ventricular assist device. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2009 Jul 21;54(4):312–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2009.03.055