Staff Reports
Residents from Minden, Gardnerville and surrounding areas are being sought for a government-funded study aimed to test the effectiveness of an education program for patients with congestive heart failure in the rural areas of Northern Nevada and California.
The study is being conducted by registered nurse Michele Pelter and will also focus on the decisions people with congestive heart failure make when their symptoms worsen.
The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute administered a $3.4 million grant to four different healthcare organizations who will participate in the study.
Grant recipients include Renown Health and the University of Nevada, Reno.
A total of 710 patients will be enrolled in the study, with 237 patients from the Nevada study site.
Participation in the study is voluntary and free.
All study related visits can be completed in Susanville.
To participate, or find out more about this study, contact Kim Stephens, project director, at (866) 471-4555 or kstephens@renown.org.
"The overall goal of the study is to look at whether or not a nursing educational intervention can improve patient outcomes and reduce the need for re-hospitalization, a common problem in patients with heart failure" Pelter said.
Nearly 5 million Americans live with heart failure, and 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.
It is the leading cause of hospitalization for those 65 years and older.
Little is known about living with heart failure in rural areas where access to formal heart failure management programs is limited.
"We hope that the results of this study will help doctors and nurses better manage the symptoms that heart failure patients experience. And to learn about the challenges that rural patients living with heart failure may have," said Pelter.
