Nurse practitioners in Canadian heart failure clinics: evidence to support their presence on healthcare teams

Abstract

There is presently an initiative in Canada to promote the role and implementation of nurse practitioners. Nurse practitioners have the ability to help close major gaps in our present healthcare system and thus improve healthcare services for Canadians. Answering the needs of our chronically ill population may be one of those gaps. Currently, only a small percentage of Canadian patients living with heart failure and their families are receiving the services that have proven effective in randomized trials. The addition of nurse practitioners in heart failure management outpatient clinics would improve the link between clinical research and practice, ensuring that the services patients receive are based on the evidence that is currently available.