Heart Failure Society of America And The American Association of Heart Failure Nurses Release Joint Statement

Advocate for removal of scope-of-practice barriers

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Sep 10, 2012, 08:00 ET

SEATTLE, Sept. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The 16^th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) opened today at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle. The program will feature presentations and seminars on the latest issues and treatments from leading heart failure experts.

At this year's conference, HFSA and the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN) will release a joint statement regarding the role of nursing in the care of persons with heart failure.

"HFSA and AAHFN share a common mission to improve outcomes of patients with heart failure," said Dr. Barry Massie, M.D., president of HFSA. "Heart failure is the fastest growing cardiovascular disease in the United States, and effective treatment of this disease requires a team of experts from many disciplines practicing to their full abilities."

The statement strongly advocates for the removal of scope-of-practice barriers for nurses, which would allow nurses to practice to the full extent of their educational training. Also, HFSA and AAHFN endorse recent recommendations to make nurses full partners in the redesign of healthcare. Because of their role in the treatment of patients, nurses have invaluable insight into the delivery of healthcare.

"Nurses are in a key position to prevent complications, recognize symptoms and tailor treatment strategies for heart failure patients," said Linda Baas, President of AAHFN. "Unfortunately, in many parts of the United States, nurses are not allowed to practice at the full level of their training. This joint statement with HFSA emphasizes our common position, and hopefully begins to change the role of nurses in heart failure care and treatment."

For a complete list of annual meeting sessions or for details on attending the conference, call (617) 226-7183 or visit www.hfsa.org and click on Annual Scientific Meeting. There is no registration fee for accredited journalists. Interview areas will be available on-site in addition to a fully-staffed press room with phone and internet accessibility. You may follow news from the meeting on Twitter @HFSA and #HFSA.

About Heart Failure
Heart failure is a progressive condition in which the heart muscle becomes weakened after it is injured, most commonly from heart attack or high blood pressure, and gradually loses its ability to pump enough blood to supply the body's needs. Many people are not aware they have heart failure because the symptoms are often mistaken for signs of getting older. Heart failure affects 4.6 to 4.8 million individuals in the United States. Demographic and clinical evidence strongly suggests that the prevalence of heart failure will increase throughout the next decade. Ten to 15 years ago heart failure was considered a "death sentence;" however, recent advances in treatment have shown that early diagnosis and proper care in early stages of the condition are key to slowing, stopping or in some cases reversing progression, improving quality of life, and extending life expectancy. For more information on heart failure, please visit www.abouthf.org.

About the Heart Failure Society of America
The Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) is a nonprofit educational organization, founded in 1994 as the first organized association of heart failure experts. The HFSA provides a forum for all those interested in heart function, heart failure research and patient care. The Society also serves as a resource for governmental agencies (FDA, NIH, NHLBI, CMS). The HFSA Annual Scientific Meeting is designed to highlight recent advances in the development of strategies to address the complex epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic issues of heart failure. Additional information on HFSA can be found at www.hfsa.org.

SOURCE Heart Failure Society of America