Jennifer Hatton, RN, BSN, CHFN, coordinator of St. Mary’s Heart Success Program for patients diagnosed with heart failure, has become the first nurse in the Athens area to achieve national certification in heart failure care. 

Hatton is the 18^th nurse currently practicing in Georgia to be certified by the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses. Worldwide, 839 nurses are certified in heart failure care.

“Heart failure certification is a mark of excellence that validates a nurse’s expertise against national standards,” said Peggy Kirkwood,  AAHFN president. “Certified heart failure nurses are a role model for professional accountability. CHFN certification provides patients and their families with confirmation that the nurse caring for them has demonstrated experience, knowledge and skills in the complex specialty of heart failure care.”

At St. Mary’s, Hatton helps patients understand their diagnosis and learn ways to live life to the fullest as they manage their condition. 

“’Heart failure’ sounds scary, and many people don’t understand what it means,” Hatton said. “Simply put, it means the heart is not working as efficiently as it once did, whether that’s due to a heart attack, irregular heart rhythm or several other causes.” 

Hatton says her focus is on helping patients understand their condition and maximize their quality of life. 

“Working closely with the patient and his or her physician, our goal is to take the failure out of heart failure,” she says. “That’s why we call our program ‘St. Mary’s Heart Success Program’. We want to combat the misperception that patients with heart failure are doomed. With the right care and education, the vast majority can enjoy a full and rewarding life.” 

Hatton also coordinates St. Mary’s Early Heart Attack Care (EHAC) education program, which teaches early warning signs of heart attack. By knowing the early signs of heart attack and seeking emergency care as soon as symptoms appear, patients may be able to minimize or even prevent heart damage. 

St. Mary’s Health Care System has been a leader in heart failure care since 2007, when it became one of the first 25 hospitals in America to earn Joint Commission certification in the specialty. The system also has received Healthgrades’ 5-star rating for heart failure care three years in a row. 

St. Mary’s heart failure services include two cardiology practices for lifelong care and disease management, education and prevention programs, state-of-the-art diagnostics and treatment, pacemaker and defibrillator implantation and follow-up, Coumadin clinic, and cardiac rehabilitation.

For more information, visit the cardiology section at www.stmarysathens.org or call Jennifer Hatton at 706.389.3407.