Evidence-based nursing care for patients with heart failure.

There is a gap between the evidence that supports treatments used in heart failure and day-to-day patient care. Clinical practice guidelines are evidence-based and suggest best practices; however, healthcare providers, patient and system factors complicate the diagnosis and must be addressed. Performance measures specific to nursing can be derived from the guidelines to guide practice and increase high-quality care. Innovative practice improvement programs, clinical leaders, and system tools are needed to close the gap. Nurses can facilitate processes that advance care planning and promote effective care delivery as part of a multidisciplinary team of healthcare providers.