Table 4 Behavior and Knowledge Requirements to Reach Goal

BEHAVIOR – Verify the patient:

   • weighs self daily and at the correct time

   • records weight on the Daily Water Pill Plan (Figure 4)

   • assess symptoms of heart failure (SOB, edema, dizziness)

   • takes the correct dose of diuretic according to their weight

   • phones doctor when appropriate

KNOWLEDGE – Verify the patient knows:

   • his/her fluid pill

   • What to do if they have side effects from their medications

   • That they still need to take their medications even if they feel good

   • what to do if they are unable to pay for their medications

   • how many refills they have left

   • how to get refills

   • what to do if they are out of pills

   • the importance of having a successful system for taking their medication

   • to take all their medications to their doctors appointments and reviews them with the doctor

KNOWLEDGE – Verify the patient knows:

   • what sodium is

   • why salt is bad for someone with heart failure

   • ways to eat less salt

   • how to tell whether something has too much salt

   • which foods are good choices based on reading nutrition labels and knowing how much sodium per serving a food has

   • which foods out of a list of 20–30 common foods are good choices

   • if foods that say "lower sodium" or "reduced sodium" are OK

   • what foods could be substitutes for high sodium foods

KNOWLEDGE – Verify the patient knows:

   • that it is safe for someone with heart failure to exercise

   • how exercise helps people with heart failure

   • when it is not safe to exercise