- Ayaka Kawanishi
- Spring 2026
Faculty instructor: Kelsey Pascoe
Abstract
Abstract Heart failure is a common chronic disease with high rates of emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and complex self-management. Heart failure patients will have to be aware of their symptoms, take medications as instructed, follow dietary and fluid restrictions, and know when to seek medical care. Unfortunately, the information provided to these patients at the time of discharge may be confusing, especially for those with low health literacy, older adults, and/or non-English-speaking patients. This project’s goal was to create an easily understandable, patient-focused visual educational tool to help facilitate post-discharge self-management of heart failure. I researched evidence-based literature in heart failure education, discharge planning, managing symptoms, health literacy, and educating diverse patient populations. This project also included observations of common clinical concerns and questions by patients while receiving discharge instructions from my experiences working in emergency departments. The end product was a one-page educational infographic explaining the most important self-care activities for individuals diagnosed with heart failure, such as daily weight measurement, taking prescribed medications on schedule, reducing sodium intake, follow-up care, and identifying warning signs that require a healthcare provider. This project illustrates the importance of creating accessible, simple, and practical discharge education tools that reinforce verbal teaching and promote safe transition from the emergency department to home. Potential future implementations of this project would include collecting feedback from the healthcare team, reviewing the readability of the infographic for patients, and evaluating if the use of the infographic results in improved understanding and confidence in heart failure self-management. Keywords: heart failure, emergency department discharge, patient education, health literacy, self-management, non-native English speakers