N032 Cardiology + cardiac surgery=collaboration! wait list management of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) patients

Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most prevalent valvular heart disease (VHD) and the third most common cardiovascular condition after coronary artery disease and hypertension. Acquired AS primarily affects the elderly, causing impaired cardiac output and heart failure, decreasing their quality of life. Until recently surgery was the only option for these patients. However, cardiology has been rapidly evolving to include innovative approaches to managing VHD. Many patients with severe AS and coexisting conditions are not candidates for surgical replacement of the aortic valve, therefore the TAVI procedure performed by both the interventional cardiologist and the cardiac surgeon has proven to be a viable option for these patients. The management and treatment of these patients has presented a unique opportunity for nursing to develop wait list strategies combining both cardiology and cardiac surgery services. The referral, assessment, work-up and pre-procedure monitoring represents a collaborative effort ensuring that patients are cared for from referral to procedure to post procedural care. The implementation of standards for the wait list management of TAVI patients will have an impact on wait time, access to services and ultimately quality of life for these patients. The data reported locally and provincially will affect program sustainability. This presentation will provide an overview of the TAVI procedure, the development of the wait list management strategy, implementation and evaluation. In addition the strategies to develop collaboration between cardiology and cardiac surgery services will be discussed and the success of this endeavour will be presented.