Association Between Nurse-Led Multidisciplinary Education and Cardiac Events in Patients With Heart Failure: A Retrospective Chart Review

Summary: Purpose: This study examined the modifiable factors, including nurse-led multidisciplinary education and in/out-of-hospital rehabilitation, to predict cardiac events in patients with heart failure (HF) in South Korea. Methods: A retrospective review of the medical records was conducted using data of patients admitted for HF between June 2021 and April 2022. A total of 342 patients were included in this study. Information related to HF education, cardiac rehabilitation, and demographic and clinical characteristics were collected. Cardiac events, including emergency department visits, readmissions, and deaths, were defined as a composite of events. After adjusting for covariates, a multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to explore the association between modifiable factors and cardiac events in patients with HF. Results: During the follow-up period (median, 823 days), 123 patients (36.0%) experienced at least one cardiac event. In the Cox regression model, patients who received nurse-led multidisciplinary HF education during hospitalization were less likely to experience cardiac events (hazard ratio: 0.487; 95% confidence interval [CI]:0.239–0.993). Additionally, high NT-pro BNP levels were associated with an increased risk of cardiac events. Conclusions: The education led by nurses on HF was a factor that reduced adverse prognoses in patients with HF. Our results highlight the importance of a nurse-led multidisciplinary approach during hospitalization.