Missing Link: Clarity and Impact of Nurse Practitioners’ Roles on Outcomes of Ventricular Assist Device Programs in the United States

摘要

Implantation of a long-term ventricular assist device (VAD) has become a standard treatment option for patients with advanced heart failure (HF).'J In recent years, the demand for VAD therapy has consistently increased as a result of the high prevalence of risk factors for HF (eg, coronary artery disease, hypertension, obesity), the aging population, and a decreased pool of heart donors.1'2 Long-term implantable VADs are used as a bridge to heart transplantation or a permanent alternative to transplantation (ie, destination