Creation of standardized tools for therapeutic education specifically dedicated to chronic heart failure patients: The French I-CARE project

Abstract

Aim To develop educational programs in chronic heart failure (CHF), creation of standardized tools for therapeutic education specifically dedicated to CHF patients was performed as a part of the French I-CARE project. Methods and Results A working group was constituted of cardiologists, nurses and dieticians, specialized in both therapeutic education and CHF. The personal patient's document consisted of a ring binder with dividers containing index cards for 5 units. The unit “Educational diagnosis” comprised a guide for the user and an auto-questionnaire for the patient. The unit “Knowledge of the disease” comprised a whiteboard for explaining cardiovascular physiology, a 3D-model of heart, and a glossary. The unit “Diet control” was composed of posters, a food-card game with a game mat figuring the different meals of a day, a low-salt recipe book, and 1-g salt spoons. The unit “Physical activity and daily life” comprised recommendations for physical activity and questionable real-life situations, and a card game for evaluation. The unit “Medical treatment” consisted of index cards for different cardiovascular drugs. Conclusion These educational tools should help multidisciplinary teams to develop therapeutic education dedicated to CHF in order to improve self-management, morbidity and quality of life in CHF patients.