North Florida Cardiovascular Symposium

Activity: Summary

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains one of the key health issues in the U.S. Causing a significant percentage of deaths in the U.S. and lading to a quick deterioration of health and the quality of life in patients, CVD needs to be examined more thoroughly. Thus, one can develop innovative measures for assessing a patient’s condition, locating early signs of CVD development, preventing the disease from occurring, and offering patients effective and affordable treatment options (McClellan et al., 2019).

A conference centering the issue of CVD has recently been held in Jacksonville, FL, allowing for an in-depth insight into the problem and the actions that a nurse can take in order to manage the public health issue in question. One of the activities offered during the conference was particularly important since it allowed taking a glimpse at some of the latest research in the target area. Specifically, during a virtual meeting via Zoom, where each of the conference members represented their research findings, while the attendees listened and asked questions, critical information about CVD management and prevention was explained.

During the presentation, each of the participants listed the research question, the methods, and the key points succinctly, leaving enough room for further discussions, particularly, in regard to the application of the results to the clinical setting. The opportunity to introduce an interdisciplinary perspective into the conversation and view the CVD issue as a complex problem requiring a multifaceted approach was especially valuable (McClellan et al., 2019). Overall, the activity in question contributed extensively to the general understanding of the latest and the mot innovative approaches toward preventing CVD issues from occurring, as well as mitigating the consequences and avoiding further aggravation, particularly, the increase in the threat of a stroke.

Takeaway Points

The importance of innovative technology in monitoring patients and managing the outcomes of the intervention has been one of the essential takeaway points to consider after the conference. During their performance, most of the conference participants mentioned some form of remote communication with patients and control of their health status, emphasizing the importance of the specified tool in the current environment of the coronavirus pandemic (Figtree et al., 2021). Specifically, the role of Telehealth and virtual visits has been emphasized.

Additionally, the role of patient education and, overall, patient agency has increased noticeably over the past several years, as the findings reported by the conference participants have shown. Specifically, a number of speakers emphasized the need to promote patient literacy as the main tool in preventing CVD and the related issues in groups at risk (Rawshani et al., 2017). Therefore, apart from the traditional roles associated with administration and delivery of health services, nurses also must accept the increasing importance of patient education (Leopold & Loscalzo, 2018).

Finally, the significance of innovative strategies and nurse training has been explained thoroughly during the presentation and discussion activity at the conference. Specifically, it has been outlined both by researchers in the presentation of their results and the first assessment of the studies by the participants that being alert in regard to the application of innovative tools and strategies in the setting of cardiovascular car is vital.

Overall, the activity in question has shed a lot of light on the issues typically observed in the present-day cardiac nursing setting. The discussion of innovative technology and the means of applying it to the context of the clinical setting has been especially helpful and thought-provoking since it suggested that nurses should engage in professional development constantly. Therefore, the activity under analysis has served as the inciting point for the development of self-directed learning ideas in a number of attendees.

Competencies Acquired

In the course of the activity in question, several vital competencies have been acquired. First, the application of innovative tools, particularly, virtual visits, to the context of managing cardiac patients’ needs, has been examined thoroughly. All those present at the conference and participating in the activity have developed a clear understanding of the actions to be taken during a virtual visit to a cardiac patient, including the management of the digital tools, the process of patient examination, and the administering of the appropriate patient counseling and education techniques.

Moreover, my ability to identify health hazards that people with CVD should avoid in order to reduce the threat of a heart attack has been improved significantly after the activity in question. Having learned more information about the exposure to threats that may incite a cardiac arrest, I have gained extra skills in preventing the specified instances form occurring (Rodriguez et al., 2019). Therefore, the presentation of research results and the following discussion have contributed to my knowledge of the methods of minimizing the threat of an instance of CVD-related health concerns in patients.

However, the issue of patient education and the study of the means of reaching out to people facing the risk of CVD or already suffering from it have been especially important for me as a nurse. Due to the range of factors that may entail the development of CVD and the resulting cardiac arrest, shielding patients form every threat is barely possible, which is why it is the duty of a nurse to offer patients sufficient education for recognizing threats and avoiding them. Therefore, learning about new tools for promoting patient education was vital in my professional development.

Future Professional Goals

Attending the conference and participating in the discussion activity described above have marked an important stage in my professional development. Namely, the activity in question has helped me to outline the key steps that I will have to take in the future in order to evolve and deliver better services. Furthermore, new professional goals have been set as a result of taking part in the activity.

First and most importantly, the goal of developing the skills needed to manage innovative digital tools for assisting patients with CVD has been set. The ability to incorporate devices that improve the general performance, as well as its specific aspects, such as the management of patient data or the accuracy of the diagnosis, is vital for a nurse since it defines the patient outcome (Figtree et al., 2021). Therefore, the information about virtual visits and the associated tools for managing patients’ needs remotely has inclined me to set the goal of developing the skills needed to manage the latest innovative devices in cardiac nursing. Specifically, the methods for monitoring patients’ well-being remotely will have to be embraced fully as a crucial framework for preventing CVD issues.

Finally, training the skills of a nurse educator and assisting patients in increasing their literacy rates has become the third goal to pursue in my professional development. Equipped with the skills acquired during the conference, particularly, the discussion activity, I will be able to improve the quality of care in the cardiac nursing setting significantly. Thus, the number of positive patient outcomes will rise significantly.

References

Figtree, G. A., Broadfoot, K., Casadei, B., Califf, R., Crea, F., Drummond, G. R.,… & Zannad, F. (2021). A call to action for new global approaches to cardiovascular disease drug solutions. European Heart Journal, 42(15), 1464-1475.

Leopold, J. A., & Loscalzo, J. (2018). Emerging role of precision medicine in cardiovascular disease. Circulation Research, 122(9), 1302-1315.

McClellan, M., Brown, N., Califf, R. M., & Warner, J. J. (2019). Call to action: urgent challenges in cardiovascular disease: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 139(9), e44-e54.

Rawshani, A., Rawshani, A., Franzén, S., Eliasson, B., Svensson, A. M., Miftaraj, M.,… Gudbjörnsdottir, S. (2017). Mortality and cardiovascular disease in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. New England Journal of Medicine, 376(15), 1407-1418.

Rodriguez, F., Maron, D. J., Knowles, J. W., Virani, S. S., Lin, S., & Heidenreich, P. A. (2019). Association of statin adherence with mortality in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. JAMA Cardiology, 4(3), 206-213.