Drs. Erickson, Gross-Toalson, author American Heart Association Scientific Statement
Two Children’s Mercy investigators—Lori Erickson, PhD, MSHCM, MSN, NEA-BC, FAHA, CPNP-PC (Remote Health Solutions) and Jami N. Gross-Toalson, PhD (Heart Center Well-Being Program)—served as first and second authors, respectively, on a newly published American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Statement.
The statement, “Update on Education for Families and Patients With Pediatric Heart Disease: A Focus on Technological Advancements, Procedures, and Transitions of Care,” was developed by nursing leaders and multidisciplinary complex care teams with extensive experience supporting children with congenital and acquired heart disease and their families. It synthesizes over a decade of emerging evidence on best practices for patient and family education across the care continuum, including procedural preparation, interstage monitoring, transitions of care, and the expanding role of digital health technologies.
The statement emphasizes a family-centered, trauma-informed approach to education and communication, underscoring the need to align clinical information with patient and caregiver understanding at each stage of care. It also highlights the critical role of interdisciplinary collaboration among cardiologists, nurses, psychologists, child life specialists, therapists, and social workers in supporting outcomes and long-term adjustment.
“Dr. Gross-Toalson and I have long shared a clinical focus on family-centered and trauma-informed care,” said Dr. Erickson, who chaired the writing group. “As we developed this updated statement, it was essential that these principles be explicitly incorporated into the evidence base.”
The original AHA statement on this topic was published in 2003. Work on the update began in early 2024. Following extensive peer review, the statement was approved through the AHA scientific review process in October 2025 and published online in March 2026.
Significance for Clinical Practice
AHA Scientific Statements are widely cited in peer-reviewed literature and are frequently used to inform clinical guidelines, grant applications, and health policy. They serve as expert consensus documents reflecting the current state of cardiovascular evidence.
“This paper provides a structured, evidence-based framework to guide cardiology providers in integrating education and well-being into clinical practice,” said Dr. Gross-Toalson. “Because cardiology appropriately emphasizes evidence-based care while tailoring decisions to individual patients, it was critical to apply that same rigor to education, communication, and family support.”
She added that families consistently identify communication with the care team as a key determinant of psychosocial adjustment. Standardizing and simplifying educational approaches—while remaining responsive to individual learning needs—may support improved long-term outcomes.
Notably, the authors extend beyond traditional educational recommendations, addressing how cognitive, emotional, developmental, and social factors influence how patients and families receive, process, and apply clinical information.
Additional perspective from Dr. Erickson is available in an accompanying AHA Science YouTube video.