106 - NURSE PRACTITIONERS LEAD THE WAY: BEST PRACTICES AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION FOR CARDIOVASCULAR RISK REDUCTION UPON HOSPITAL DISCHARGE

Heart disease remains the leading cause of hospitalization and the second leading cause of death in Canada. As such, addressing modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) is key for reducing these statistics. Reduction of CVRFs through lifestyle modification and evidence-based pharmaceutical therapies are well documented as cost-effective strategies for improving cardiovascular outcomes. However, therapeutic inertia remains one of the major barriers for optimal cardiovascular health outcomes. Knowledge translation strategies are an important catalyst for overcoming therapeutic inertia.

Multidisciplinary team-based care models are highly advocated, being more likely to achieve optimal CVRF modification and able to reach high-risk populations successfully through a holistic approach. Legislative changes across Canada over the last decade allows Nurse Practitioners (NPs) to assess, diagnose and make therapeutic decisions across broad patient populations, including patients with cardiovascular disease. Therefore, NPs are ideally positioned to address therapeutic inertia through prescribing evidence-based therapies to comprehensively reduce CVRFs, patient education, and collaboration with other healthcare providers and policy makers.

A national NP Expert Panel was created to explore strategies for comprehensive CVRF management. The Expert Panel critically appraised latest evidence related to cardiovascular risk reduction, identified knowledge translation needs for NPs, and reflected on their own clinical practice. This workshop will showcase the Expert Panel’s experience, provide participants with a framework and a practical tool that will support NPs and fellow healthcare colleagues at all stages of their careers to successfully incorporate new evidence in their day-to-day clinical practice when optimizing CVRF management in high-risk patient populations.