St. Rose Health Center has scheduled its next “Helping Hands for Healthy Hearts” meetings for those who have been diagnosed with heart failure.

            “We understand heart patients have many questions after their cardiac event,” said Kristin Steele, R.N., who cares for patients in St. Rose’s Cardiac Rehab Department. “They receive tons of new information when released from the hospital, and inevitably, questions arise. We want to provide the answers.”

The four free sessions are set for 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. April 4, 14, 18 and 25. Reservations are required; the number to call is 785-656-4526.

            Steele and Melanie Krier, another St. Rose R.N., will lead the discussions.

“When patients have the proper resources, they can take control and manage their illness at home,” Steele commented. “We want to share information that may help them prevent heart-related problems and hospitalizations.”

            Participants in the four sessions last November were pleased with the new service and are welcome to attend the April gatherings too, Steele noted.

            “We welcome those who attended in the past, as well as newcomers who want to learn more about their condition,” Steele said. “Since caregivers play a vital role in patients’ lives, they also are encouraged to join us.”

            Heart failure is diagnosed when the heart is not pumping well enough to keep up with the body’s demands. Steele said medical science has made many strides in the treatment of the disease.

            Proper follow-up care is crucial to recovery, she noted. “For example, 70 percent of re-admissions to a hospital are preventable. This is because it is easy to overlook specific information about medications, blood-pressure control and lifestyle changes.

            “When people are overwhelmed with information, they don’t immediately know the right questions to ask,” she explained. “But when they are feeling a little better and have the time to review recovery guidelines, they realize they could use a little advice.”

            The sessions’ give-and-take setting offers participants the opportunity to learn from the nurses, as well as one another, Steele added.

            “Participants will be encouraged to ask questions and share information,” Steele said. “These conversations can be a valuable resource to add to their doctors’ written instructions.

“With proper medications, exercise and a heart-healthy diet, people are living longer with a good quality of life. Patients feel empowered when they realize they are in control of their recovery.”

            St. Rose is a member of the Kansas Heart Stroke Collaborative, which supplied the funding for the nurses’ training as facilitators. St. Rose, Hays Medical Center and the University of Kansas Hospital are partners with other Kansas facilities in the collaborative. The goal is to improve outcomes for heart and stroke patients.

St. Rose specializes in primary care, prevention and wellness. Services include St. Rose Family Medicine, Convenient Care Walk-in Clinic, Great Bend Internists, Imaging, Cardiac Rehab, Physical Therapy, Golden Belt Home Health & Hospice and a comprehensive Specialty Clinic. St. Rose is co-owned by Hays Medical Center and Centura Health.