Call to Action emphasizes the importance of nurses in addressing hypertension in the United States

Hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease and affects nearly one in two adults in the United States. An article published in Worldviews on Evidence Based Nursing outlines the roles that nurses can play to help control hypertension and prevent cardiovascular disease.

Nursing leaders from 11 national organizations identified these roles to develop a unified "Call to Action for Nurses," noting that nurses are well positioned to contribute meaningfully to national efforts, using evidence on how to prevent, diagnose, treat, and control hypertension.

The paper provides details on what this Call to Action means for registered nurses, school of nursing, population health nurses, and nurse researchers.

"We know what to do as a nation to get to better hypertension control and prevent an enormous amount of human suffering from cardiovascular disease. I am most excited that this article not only makes it clear what important roles nurses have in the battle, but it also provides them with tools and resources to implement these interventions," said lead author Judith A. Hannan, MPH, RN, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.