Nursing Care for AF

Nursing care for AF encompasses the entire individual with a focus on preventing the possible risks related to the arrhythmia and patient understanding of their pathology. Once a treatment plan has been established, the nurse's role is to help maintain the course of therapy. As there are several possible routes of intervention for AF, the nursing interventions depend upon these. (1)

Below is a table to summarize the nursing care which would accompany the form of treatment.

References:
1. Crawford, A., & Harris, H. (2009, May 1). Atrial Fibrillation: Nurses' guide to this common arrhythmia (M. Raymond, Ed.). Retrieved February 18, 2015, from http://www.modernmedicine.com/modern-medicine/news/modernmedicine/modern-medicine-feature-articles/atrial-fibrillation-nurses-guid?id=&pageID=3

Treatment: Medication	Treatment: Cardioversion	Treatment: Ablation
·         Antihypertensives (keep blood pressure in a healthy range) ·         Anticoagulants (prevent blood clotting) ·         Antiarrhythmics (prevent irregular heart conduction)	·         Conduction therapy to return the hearts rhythm back to normal	·         Destruction of malfunctioning heart cells
·         Monitor EKG rhythm, heart sounds, apical pulse, and vital signs ·         Monitor for signs and symptoms of drug side effects (hypotension, dizziness, syncope) ·         Monitor lab values; PTT and PT/INR	·         Assess patient status and determine if patient condition is declining, notify physician if cardioversion seems necessary ·         Prepare for administering sedation medication prior to cardioversion ·         Monitor vital signs before and after cardioversion ·         Assess sites of cardioversion on chest after procedure, treat with warm compress and/or analgesics if needed	·         Monitor vital signs, heart sounds, and apical pulse ·         Assess femoral insertion site for bleeding and clot formation, keep compressed ·         Assess calf and foot for signs of clot; check pulses for perfusion, pain and swelling