Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

ORCID

0009-0004-2429-4784

Date of Award

Spring 2023

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN)

Advisor

Regina Prusinski

Keywords

HTN Management, Blood Pressure, Patient Centered Measure, Practitioner Performance, Quality Improvement Project

Subject Categories

Family Practice Nursing | Medical Sciences | Nursing

Abstract

High blood pressure (HBP), also known as Hypertension (HTN), is a common diagnosis for primary care office visits in the United States; however, a persistent gap remains between the stated public health targets and achieved blood pressure (BP) control rates in the United States (US). In a small sample of patients with essential HTN (ICD 10: I10) receiving primary care at a mid-western Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), a chart audit tool revealed 10 out of 10 patients achieved BP control during the measurement period (defined as a BP reading <140/90). Quality improvement (QI) analysis revealed the bigger picture: Achieved BP control rates of patients does not reflect the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association HBP guidelines. Additionally, the author found potential care gaps for patients in elevated BP (120-129/>80; n=34) and Stage 1 HTN (130-139/80-89; n=44) categories (who according to the measure, were classified as having adequate BP control). A growing body of evidence suggests that looking at cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and BP level to guide treatment is more efficient and cost-effective than looking at BP level alone, and if we are to achieve optimal BP control rates in the US, harmonization of stated public health targets and implementation of standardized measures in practice is a critical next step.

Licensing Permission

Copyright, all rights reserved. Fair Use

Acknowledgement 1

1

Acknowledgement 2

1

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.