The American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN) Celebrates Heart Failure Awareness Week 2012

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J., Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN) celebrates Heart Failure Awareness Week, February 12 - 18, 2012.

Heart failure is a common and complex syndrome that affects nearly five million Americans of all ages, though it's more prevalent in the elderly where it remains the #1 cause for hospitalizations in the Medicare population. Over 400,000 new cases of heart failure will be diagnosed in the next year.

The American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN) is a specialty organization that leads nurses in heart failure care. Through patient and professional education, and with the development of Heart Failure Nursing Certification, AAHFN promotes optimal evidence-based care with the intention of positively impacting on patient outcomes.

"Each year, Heart Failure Awareness Week helps to improve the nation's understanding of how heart failure can be prevented, what it means for an individual to live with heart failure, and how therapies can markedly improve their lives. These messages are invaluable because those at risk of developing heart failure must be aware of steps to take which will impact on their health, and those with heart failure must be aware of basic pharmacologic and device therapies available to them that are life-saving, but unfortunately underutilized nationally," says Marie Galvao, MSN, ANP-BC, CHFN, AAHFN President.

AAHFN continues to set the highest standard for heart failure nursing offering several key educational tools & resources:

    --  Certified Heart Failure Nurse Program (CHFN)
    --  Heart Failure Nursing Certification: Core Curriculum Review - First
        Edition
    --  Patient Education Resource Center (aahfnpatienteducation.com)
    --  Annual Meeting, Chicago June 28-30, 2012
    --  Online Educational & Webinar forums

"The CHFN program sets the bar of excellence for heart failure nurses. Gaining this credential helps to elevate heart failure nursing proving to peers and their patients, via an exam, that they have superior knowledge in their field. The Core Curriculum Review is a comprehensive guide, utilizing guidelines and evidence-based data, to outline the process of planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care for heart failure patients. The AAHFN Patient Education Resource Center provides concise, educational and reference material, which covers all aspects of heart failure including recommended preventative self-care measures. The June 2012 Annual Meeting in Chicago, provides the latest, cutting edge data & presentations over three days," explains Pete Pomilio, Executive Director.

In honor of Heart Failure Awareness Week, AAHFN would like to recognize and congratulate the excellent work of all heart failure nurses.

About AAHFN

The American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN) unites professionals in the support and advancement of heart failure practice, education and research to promote optimal patient outcomes. AAHFN is dedicated to advancing its nursing education, clinical practice and research with the goal of setting the highest standards for heart failure nursing care. AAHFN: Leading, Educating, Advocating, Driving Quality Care. Learn more at www.aahfn.org.

SOURCE American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN)