Improving Hypertension through the use of a Home Monitoring System

Project Abstract

Relevance to Conference Theme and Objectives: The DNP Project to be presented during the poster presentation portion of the conference is related to quality of care. The primary objective of the project was to improve blood pressure. The project hoped to accomplish this objective by educating patients with hypertension about this chronic illness and by helping get blood pressure controlled. Another goal of the project was to compare home blood pressure measurements with in-office measurements. This aspect of the project focused on identifying if there was a variance in the readings, which could be critical when adjusting medications.

Methods

Patients in an internal medicine clinic were invited to participate in this DNP student quality improvement project. Patients in this practice setting had not been receiving any educational materials about hypertension. Participants were invited to participate in the project after presenting with an elevated blood pressure in the office. The first step of the project was assessing the patient’s knowledge about the management of hypertension. After obtaining consent from the participants, a 10-question survey was administered to the participant designed to measure the patient’s knowledge about hypertension management. The patient was then instructed to record blood pressure measurements at home for two weeks. The participants were also provided educational materials about hypertension management and consequences of poorly controlled blood pressures for reading at home. The patient was instructed to bring their home blood pressure readings to their follow-up visit.

Results

There were five participants in the project, with a mean age of 55.4 years. The survey questions completed by the participants revealed that the patients were all knowledgeable about the basic information about hypertension. The participants identified a normal and abnormal blood pressure reading and some of the possible causes of elevated blood pressures such as alcohol use, smoking, and sodium in the diet. Three of the participants noted not taking blood pressure measurements at home on a regular basis prior to participating in this project. Results indicated that over half of the participants had lower blood pressure readings at home, compared to the office readings.

Recommendations

This project identifies methods of improving hypertension management. Developing a formal plan for educating patients about hypertension and the importance of monitoring blood pressures could lead to improved management of hypertension. The initial survey and educational material could easily be provided to the patient at an office visit. Patients could contact the office via the patient portal to report home blood pressure readings or call the office with the readings. The nurses could set up a reminder to contact the patient two weeks after an office visit with elevated blood pressures or recent medication adjustment to obtain home blood pressure readings. Patient reported blood pressures could be sent electronically to the provider to review and decide if any adjustments need to be made to the patients’ medication regimen. Education is a key component of hypertension management and improved patient outcomes.

Conference

Kentucky Association of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse-Midwives Coalition Conference

April 23-26, 2024

Sponsored by Kentucky Association of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse-Midwives

https://www.kcnpnm.org/

Funding Type

Travel Grant

Academic College

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Area/Major/Minor

Family Nurse Practitioner

Degree

DNP

Classification

Graduate

Name

Dr. Janice Thurmond

Academic College

School of Nursing and Health Professions

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