Heart Failure Clinical Trial
Primary Palliative Care in Heart Failure: A Pilot Trial
Summary
Patients with advanced heart failure (HF) typically experience significant burdens that negatively impact their quality of life. Although palliative care has been shown to improve patient outcomes in other serious illnesses, insufficient data exist to support its use in HF. Furthermore, the demand for palliative care in serious illness outstrips the available supply of certified palliative care clinicians. This pilot trial will assess the feasibility and acceptability of training cardiology nurses in basic palliative care skills and their ability to deliver this care alongside usual HF management.
Full Description
Patients with advanced heart failure (HF) suffer from significant pain, fatigue, difficulty breathing, anxiety, and depression. Palliative Care (PC) is a medical specialty designed to focus on relieving patient suffering by providing an extra layer of support on top of usual care. To date, there has been little research on the impact of PC in HF. We will conduct a randomized clinical trial to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and perceived effectiveness of training cardiology nurses in PC and administering PC to their patients. Patients will be randomized into either the usual care group or the intervention group. Usual care participants will receive their care with no alterations, and intervention participants will receive the PC intervention from their nurse on top of their usual care. Both groups will complete health-related surveys on tablet computers, via email, and/or via telephone. In the intervention group, these answers will be used to tailor the intervention to the specific patient's needs. Caregivers will also be recruited into the study, and will complete surveys similar to the patients via the aforementioned methods.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
New York Heart Association Class III or IV Heart Failure
2 or more hospitalizations in the past year due to Heart Failure
Exclusion Criteria:
Less than 40 years old
Currently awaiting a transplant
Received outpatient palliative care within the past 12 months
Pregnant or intends to be within the next 12 months
No regular phone access
Not fluent in English
Failed the Callahan 6-item Screener
Does not intent to regularly attend clinic for the next 12 months
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There is 1 Location for this study
White Oak Pennsylvania, 15131, United States
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