Dr. Birte Østergaard, Research Unit of Nursing, University of Southern Denmark, is the principal investigator of a family intervention study focusing on nurses who are providing care to Danish families experiencing heart failure. The purpose of the research is to evaluate the effect of Family Focused Nursing based on the Calgary Family Assessment and Intervention Models (Wright & Leahey, 2013) versus conventional treatment of Heart Failure outpatients with respect to health-related quality of life, illness management, re-admissions and mortality. The study is designed as a randomized multi-centre trial at three Danish Heart Failure Clinics, consecutively including 468 patients allocated to one of two groups. Inclusion of patients and family members started in June 2011. At the present time (fall of 2013), 258 patients have been enrolled. Research team members include Lis Wagner, RGN, Dr.PH, Torben Barington, medic, Dr.Med.Sc., Mette Præst Knudsen, economist, PhD, Lars Videbæk, PhD, Barbara Voltelen, RGN, MSc, doctoral student and Karen Steenvinkel Pedersen RGN, MSc, doctoral student. This is the first family nursing research of its kind in Denmark. The study is funded by The Health Foundation, The Heart Foundation, Novo Nordic Foundation, University College Lillebaelt, OUH-Odense University Hospital and Carpenter Alfred Andersen og wife’s Foundation. For more information, contact IFNA member Birte Østergaard who is currently a member of the IFNA Board of Directors: [email protected]
Lindsay Smith, PhD, RN, is a Lecturer in the School of Health Sciences, University of Tasmania, Australia. Lindsay’s passion is to understand how family strengths can be applied in nursing care of children, young people, and families in the Australian context. He teaches child, family, and community nursing in undergraduate and postgraduate nursing degrees through translating Australian research findings into clinical guides and teaching strategies.
