Cardiac rehabilitation ambassador: A new model to enhance patient participation.

Abstract

Introduction: Participation in outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) is considered an integral part of secondary treatment of heart disease. Despite being considered standard care, participation remains low internationally. Encouraging patients to enrol in Cardiac Rehabilitation during their hospital stay is linked to higher participation. This study was conducted at a hospital that provides acute cardiac and rehabilitation services in Australia. Aim: As a leading provider of cardiac services, we identified that potentially increasing acute cardiac nurses’ knowledge of the benefits of CR through an immersion experience would improve their capacity to actively promote participation in CR programs with patients during their acute hospital stay.