There may be a potential surge of patients admitted to hospital with cardiovascular disease, who’ve been tolerating increasing symptoms at home, in order to avoid coming in contact with COVID-19.
The Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) has published a “consensus statement” aiming to inform and support cardiovascular nurses in reducing the risk for virus transmission while delivering comprehensive nursing care during the pandemic.
The statement was authored by more than 20 clinical and academic cardiovascular nursing experts, including lead author and Chair of the Cardiovascular Nursing Council, Associate Professor Sally Inglis from the University of Technology Sydney’s Faculty of Health.
The healthcare system is well prepared to manage cases of COVID-19 while providing safe treatment for other emergencies and care as needed.
Associate Professor Sally Inglis
“Consensus statements such as the CSANZ Cardiovascular Nursing and COVID-19 statement provide guidance to clinicians on how to maintain cardiovascular care and services, while keeping patients and healthcare workers safe,” Associate Professor Inglis said.
She said there are “justifiable concerns” that in coming months patients would emerge from isolation with untreated coronary disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, valvular heart disease and stroke.
Associate Professor Inglis also said, “It is vitally important that people who might experience symptoms suggestive of a heart attack or stroke call 000 and attend a hospital. The healthcare system is well prepared to manage cases of COVID-19 while providing safe treatment for other emergencies and care as needed."
Read the full story on UTS News: Cardiovascular care consensus: don’t suffer at home
The executive summary of the CSANZ COVID-19 Cardiovascular Nursing Care Consensus Statement can be viewed/downloaded here (opens external site). It includes the full list of authors, including Director of Palliative Care Studies for UTS's IMPACCT research centre, Associate Professor Louise Hickman.