Heart failure remains the fastest growing cardiovascular disorder in the U.S. and
the most common reason for hospitalization among older adults.
1
,
2
With increases in Medicare readmission penalties, as well as the number of hospitals
being penalized, the stakes have become higher to improve care to patients with heart
failure.
3
Nurses are intimately involved with providing care to patients and their families
across the continuum of heart failure care and in essentially all health care settings.
Whether working in an acute care or outpatient facility, participating on a multidisciplinary
heart failure disease management team, conducting clinical research, educating future
and/or current clinicians, or, for advanced practice nurses, providing independent
management of patients, nurses are in key positions to recognize early signs or symptoms
of worsening heart failure, prevent complications, optimize evidence-based therapies,
evaluate effectiveness of the current plan of care, facilitate communication among
multiple care providers and provide patient education. As a specialty organization
dedicated to advancing nursing education, clinical practice and nursing research,
the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN) is committed to improving
outcomes for patients with heart failure. As such, AAHFN is a leader in meeting the
challenges of providing care for these patients in a changing health care environment.
Certification is defined by the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS) as “the
formal recognition of specialized knowledge, skills, and experience demonstrated by
achievement of standards identified by a nursing specialty to promote optimal health
outcomes.”
4
Specialty and subspecialty certification is a mark of clinical excellence and validates
the knowledge and problem solving of the test-taker based on the standard. Certification
in the subspecialty of heart failure is the formal recognition and validation of achievement
of the standards of heart failure nursing care. This designation confirms a basic
knowledge about heart failure and exemplifies the commitment to quality care for patients
with heart failure. Further, recertification reflects continual learning and adaptation
to new or revised evidence related to heart failure assessment, care planning, interventions/treatments,
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© 2016 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
