Improving hypertension follow-up and education in primary care: enhancing nurse and provider practices for better patient outcomes

Abstract

This project demonstrated that structured nurse follow-up visits are a critical component of effective hypertension control by providing protected time for blood pressure measurement, review of home readings, and individualized discussion of the education packet. Across the project, 85.7% of patients showed lower blood pressure at the nurse visit compared with the initial provider visit. When dedicated visits are combined with targeted education, and proper documentation the success rate for hypertension self-management increases. The overall outcomes of this project indicate that combined interventions are a valuable addition to the hypertension management process and should be incorporated by all who see hypertension patients.