TOPIC

Critical & emergency care research

Everything we have read on critical & emergency care. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

63 PAPERS · PAGE 1 OF 2 · NEWEST FIRST

• RNQualitative2026The Overwhelming Challenge of Losing One's Sense of Wholeness: A Grounded Theory Study on Women's Experiential Process of Birth Trauma.The journal of nursing research : JNRWomen described birth trauma as losing their sense of wholeness: unbearable pain, loss of dignity, ignored emotions, exposed privacy, and endless waiting. They also described never wanting another birth.
• RNOther2026Validation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Persian Version of the Nurse Intuition Patient Deterioration Scale: A Methodological Study.Nursing openNurses' intuition ratings of 250 hospitalized patients stayed consistent and stable on a Persian scale, but its high-risk cut-off was not tested against ICU transfer, cardiac arrest, or death.
• RNOther2026Intravenous Smart Pump Alarms in Everyday Hospital Use: A Real-world Descriptive Analysis.Dimensions of critical care nursing : DCCNBaxter IV pumps produced 5,129,505 alarms over 1,102,303 infusions. Most were downstream occlusion, air-in-line, infusion-complete, or upstream occlusion. 99% of starts generated a completion alarm.
• RNSystematic Review2026Comparative effectiveness of various intubation fixation devices for patients undergoing tracheal intubation in the ICU: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.International journal of nursing sciencesIn ICU patients with a breathing tube through the mouth, overall comparisons did not show clear differences in tube movement or facial pressure injuries among ways to hold the tube. Tape-and-strap fixation may reduce discomfort compared with dental pads, but evidence is limited.
• RNCohort2026Mortality among young adults in intensive care unit diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection.Revista brasileira de enfermagemIn 105 young adults treated in ICU for confirmed COVID-19, 27.6% died. Higher lactate and more vasopressor days were linked to death; organ dysfunction, sepsis, ventilation and unstable circulation also occurred more among deaths.
• RNQualitative2026Making Sense of the Final Moments: A Qualitative Study of Informal Caregivers' Perception of Good Death in the Bereavement Process.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesFifteen bereaved relatives described a good death in the ICU as painless, peaceful, and marked by brief conscious farewells and family presence. Spiritual rituals and community support provided meaning and relief. Physical exhaustion and visiting restrictions were major burdens.
• RNRCT2026Acceptability and Fidelity of a Cognitive Rehabilitation Intervention During and After Intensive Care: A Feasibility Evaluation.Nursing in critical careICU patients and nurses rated mindfulness and brain training as relevant, but use was uneven and depended on energy, timing and support. This shows feasibility, not that the intervention improved cognition.
• RNOther2026Accuracy and Documentation of Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale Assessments in a Cardiothoracic Critical Care Unit: A Prospective, Cross-Sectional Audit.Nursing in critical careNurses' RASS sedation scores matched expert scores in 75% of cases, but only 33% of hourly documentation was complete. All inaccuracies occurred at auditor-rated negative RASS scores, and confidence did not track accuracy.
• RNSystematic Review2026Tracing the Satisfactory Care of the Chronically Ill in Emergency Departments: A Scoping Review.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesFor adults with chronic illness, ED care was considered satisfactory when pain relief, communication, respect and follow-up were timely. Waiting, fragmented discharge and stigma undermined it. Team-based transition support may help, but effectiveness was not tested.
• RNQualitative2026Qualitative Analysis of Community Dwelling Older Adults' Advance Care Planning Interviews: Patients Want a Chance.The American journal of hospice & palliative careOlder adults facing serious illness often chose full treatment and CPR because they wanted a chance to return to normal, even after acknowledging their illness was not curable and hearing that recovery after CPR was unlikely.
• RNRCT2026Dermatological Safety of Chlorhexidine-Impregnated Dressings in Paediatric Intensive Care: A Randomised Clinical Trial.Nursing in critical careSkin lesions were not clearly different overall between PICU central line dressings. Infants with chlorhexidine developed lesions much earlier. Catheter infections were lower, but that was a secondary outcome.
• RNSystematic Review2026Experiences of Care in Intensive Care Units After a Suicide Attempt From the Perspectives of Patients, Family Members and Healthcare Personnel-A Scoping Review.Nursing in critical careAfter ICU care for a suicide attempt, patients wanted emotional support, families needed private communication, and staff reported mixed empathy and irritation. The included studies were old, so this maps accounts, not proof.
• PTRNCase Report2026Case Series: Episodes of Care in an Intensive Care Garden-Does Fresh Air Matter?Nursing in critical careICU patients used a garden space for end-of-life care and rehabilitation. Relatives and staff described it as private, natural and supportive, but the report cannot show fresh air improved outcomes.
• RNMeta-Analysis2026Respiratory Support in the Emergency Department: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Worldviews on evidence-based nursingFor adults needing breathing support in the ED, high-flow nasal oxygen did not clearly reduce need to escalate care versus standard oxygen, but it increased escalation risk versus non-invasive ventilation. Mortality did not differ.
• RNSystematic Review2026Three-Stage Care Experiences and Needs of Parents With Children in NICU: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis.Nursing openParents of babies in NICU described repeated strain across hospital stay, discharge, and home care: separation, unclear information, restricted visits, and communication gaps. Needs shifted from emotional contact to practical skills and ongoing support.
• RNCohort2026Missed Nursing Care in Neonatal Intensive Care Units for Infants Experiencing or at Risk of Experiencing Substance Withdrawal.Research in nursing & healthAcross 894 of 11,807 NICU shifts, infants that nurses reported as having or at risk for withdrawal were more likely to have missed nursing care, especially pain checks, airway tube checks, developmental care, and high-risk drug assessments. It does not show withdrawal caused missed care.
• RNSurvey2026Families' View on Primary Nursing in Intensive Care Units - A Cross-Sectional Study.Nursing in critical careFamilies of ICU patients rated nursing care similarly under primary nursing and standard care. Only three of 14 satisfaction items differed, and the groups were not comparable.
• RNCohort2026Experiences and Perceptions of Patient Watch, a Rural Telehealth Case Management Model, for Frequent Presenters to the Emergency Department: A Longitudinal Mixed Methods Study.The Australian journal of rural healthFrequent ED presenters made fewer ED presentations after rural telehealth case management, but without a control the reduction cannot be attributed to the programme. Participants valued monitoring and coordination; some found calls repetitive, and quality of life did not improve.
• RNSurvey2026Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in ICU Survivors After COVID-19.Nursing in critical care106 ICU survivors had high symptom burden: 56.6% reported anxiety symptoms and 53.8% depression symptoms. Female sex and memory problems were linked to anxiety; pain, memory problems and lower quality of life to depression.
• RNOther2026Growing in the Shadow of Mental Illness: Quality of Life, Health Status, Social Functioning, and Health Care Utilization Among Adults to Parents With Severe Mental Illness.Journal of nursing scholarship : an official publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of NursingHigher resilience and self-efficacy were associated with better quality of life in adults who grew up with a parent with severe mental illness. Resilience did not buffer the link between childhood trauma and health or social problems.
• RNCohort2026Association Between the Red Blood Cell Distribution Width-to-Albumin Ratio, Nursing Notes, and the Length of Hospital Stay in Iron Deficiency Anaemia Complicated With Congestive Heart Failure Patients.Nursing openIn patients with iron deficiency anaemia and heart failure, higher RDW-to-albumin ratio and nursing notes with more subjective language were each linked to longer hospital stay. The two were separate markers, not a proven way to decide care.
• RNOther2026Reducing Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections in the ICU: A Nurse-Led Evidence Based Quality Improvement Initiative.Nursing openA nurse-led CVC maintenance flowchart with training, bedside reminders and audits coincided with a fall in CLABSI rates. No concurrent control group, so other trends cannot be excluded.
• RNQualitative2026Noticing and responding to end-of-life suffering in the PICU: A co-designed conceptual framework for nursing practice.Intensive & critical care nursingBereaved parents and pediatric intensive care clinicians described signs of end-of-life suffering that nurses could notice, such as burden, baseline changes, pain, restlessness, lost parent role, and disconnect, and responses like partnering, comfort, and resources.
• RNSurvey2026Parenting Stress, Parenting Self-Efficacy and Dyadic Coping in Parents of Preterm Infants in China: A Dyadic Analysis.Nursing openAt discharge, parents of preterm infants reported stress associated with lower parenting confidence. Mothers' positive couple coping was associated with confidence, but fathers' stress did not show the same pathway.
• RNCohort2026Individual and Interactive Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Household Income on Adolescent Depression and Anxiety Symptoms.Research in nursing & healthParental mental illness, substance use, incarceration, or intimate partner violence in early childhood was associated with more adolescent depression and anxiety. Maltreatment experiences were not. Low household income was associated with depression, not anxiety.
• RNQualitative2026The Development, Acceptability and Suitability of an Information and Well-Being Booklet for Family Members of Intensive Care Unit Patients.Nursing in critical careFive ICU family members found a new booklet helpful for explaining equipment, delirium, ward moves and home recovery. They valued simple language, permission to ask questions and reassurance that nurses could explain things.
• RNPilot2026Integrating Music Therapy and Nursing for Neonatal Procedural Support Using a Pacifier Activated Lullaby Device.The American journal of nursingPain scores were lower during five minutes of pacifier-activated music after ROP exams: average 4.92 at exam end, then 0.76, 0.6, and 0.21 in 25 neonates, but usual holding, positioning, and swaddling continued.
• RNQualitative2026The Development of Parental Knowledge of Their Child in NNU and PICU: An Exploratory Qualitative Study of Parents' Experiences.Nursing in critical careParents of children admitted to neonatal and paediatric intensive care described knowing their child as changing over time. Some said staff dismissed that knowledge, even when warnings about equipment or deterioration were important.
• RNQualitative2026Coping with COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit admission.Revista brasileira de enfermagemSurvivors of COVID-19 intensive care described lasting fatigue, breathlessness, memory problems, anxiety and depression. They valued nurses' comforting words, touch, listening and monitoring, and said the experience made them cherish health, family and simple daily moments.
• RNOther2026The effectiveness of the diazo reaction in the determination of tip-end position after blind insertion of the nasoenteric tube by ICU nurses: A prospective comparative study.International journal of nursing sciencesFor ICU patients with blindly placed nasoenteric tubes, a bedside diazo test on aspirated fluid agreed with X-ray position in 92.3% of cases. It was the best bedside method tested, but X-ray still confirms final position.
• RNSystematic Review2026Best Evidence Summary for the Management of Frailty in Elderly Patients in Emergency Department-Integrative Review.Nursing openNurse-led frailty screening, assessment, medication review, exercise, nutrition, and discharge planning is recommended for older adults in emergency departments, based on 13 studies.
• RNOther2026Support Needs of Family Caregivers During Tracheostomy Transitions: A Mixed-Methods Study.Nursing openFamily caregivers of tracheostomized patients leaving intensive care reported high support needs, especially for hands-on care skills, transfer information, and communication with staff. Rural, inexperienced, and direct-to-home caregivers needed more.
• RNCohort2026Relationship Between Nursing Diagnoses, Mortality and Length of Stay in the ICU: A Retrospective Cohort Study.Nursing in critical careNursing diagnoses at ICU admission were not independently associated with length of stay. Each additional diagnosis, after adjustment for age, sex and severity, was associated with 13.6% higher odds of death and more nursing workload.
• RNOther2026A Cross-Sectional Study of Prescribed Sleep Medication Use and Its Clinical and Demographic Factors Among Young People Receiving Mental Health Crisis Interventions in Sydney, Australia.Journal of child and adolescent psychiatric nursing : official publication of the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses, IncAmong 201 young people in a Sydney mental health crisis service, 42 (20.9%) used prescribed sleep medication, mostly melatonin. A stay of 42 days or longer, trauma-related diagnoses and multiple medications were linked with higher sleep medication use.
• RNQualitative2026Communication of incidental findings in the ED: Patient perspectives.Patient education and counselingED patients wanted incidental findings communicated by a knowledgeable, empathetic clinician, in plain terms, with clear next steps and written discharge materials. They had not necessarily received a finding.
• RNCohort2026Trends in Pediatric Mental Health-Related Emergency Department Visits During the School Year and School Breaks.The Journal of school healthSchool breaks did not coincide with more suicidal ideation visits, but visits during breaks were more often admitted or transferred. Youth mental health ED visits rose after August 2020.
• RNCohort2026Sleep Characteristics of Parents of Children in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit: A Pilot Observational Study.Nursing in critical careParents of children in a Korean PICU reported poor sleep, and 14 parents met insomnia criteria. Wrist sensors did not line up with questionnaire scores, and stress was not linked to sleep, so asking and measuring may give different pictures.
• RNRCT2026Efficacy of a Nursing Checklist During Mechanical Ventilation in Patients With Severe Pneumonia.Nursing in critical careICU patients with severe pneumonia who received a structured airway-care nursing checklist were taken off ventilators sooner than those receiving routine care. ICU stay did not differ. The checklist bundled multiple airway-care steps, not one isolated intervention.
• RNQualitative2026Nurses' and Families' Experiences of a Feasibility Trial Comparing Single-Use and Multiple-Use Endotracheal Suction Catheters in Mechanically Ventilated Patients: A Qualitative Study.Nursing in critical careNurses said chlorhexidine flushing made suctioning feel cleaner, but shortages, policy and workload made consistent use hard. Families often consented through trust and clear, patient explanations rather than full understanding.
• RNOther2026Bridging Parental Perceptions and Experiences of Family-Centered Care in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: A Mixed-Methods Study.Journal of clinical nursingPICU parents rated family-centered care a median 81.0 on a 21 to 105 scale, but interviews showed support did not always mean shared decisions. Nurses' encouragement, timely information, and family-friendly space shaped participation.
• RNCohort2026Immobilization of trauma patients and in-hospital clinical progression.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PAll injured trauma patients were immobilized in prehospital care, and 56.9% of patients without injury were too, while those with injury had longer stays and died more often.
• RNCohort2026Environmental Modulation of Physiological Parameters in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit After Extracorporeal Cardiac Surgery.Nursing in critical careIn 27 PICU children after cardiac surgery, visible light was linked with lower heart rate and higher respiratory rate, and the unit stayed noisy with some night light. These are observed links, not proof that changing the environment improves recovery.
• RNQualitative2026First stage of the Kangoroo Method: adaptation of mothers of premature newborns to Roy's light.Revista brasileira de enfermagemMothers of preterm babies described shock, worry and disrupted sleep in the NICU, then more confidence and hope; they said skin-to-skin, staff guidance and family support helped them care for their infants.
• RNOther2026From Control to Connection: Reflections on Implementing Safe Steps in Acute Mental Health Units.International journal of mental health nursingSafe Steps combined a relational de-escalation model, training, and restrictive practice review. Staff pressures and variable tool use limited embedding; prior evaluations reported lower seclusion and restrictive events, but components cannot be separated.
• RNCohort2026Clinical Frailty in Intensive Care Units: Prevalence and Associated Factors.Nursing in critical careIn 149 adult ICU patients, 82.6% were frail within 24 hours. Frailty was linked to older age, male sex, higher APACHE II and nutritional risk, and death. This helps ICU nurses flag high-risk patients, but it is not a tested intervention.
• RNSystematic Review2026Ocular Complications During Prone Positioning Ventilation in Critically Ill Adults: A Systematic Review.Nursing openCritically ill adults receiving prone positioning had ocular surface problems, especially exposure keratopathy. Nurses should check eyelid closure, conjunctival swelling, corneal clarity and pressure on the face before, during and after proning.
• RNQualitative2026Parents' Views on Family Care at a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit - A Qualitative Study.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesParents said NICU staff saved their infants, but unclear communication, feeling overlooked, and poor privacy undermined partnership. They wanted individualized information, recognition of their role, breastfeeding help, and support for parents' mental strain. These are experiences, not evidence of what works.
• PTRNMeta-Analysis2026Efficacy and Safety of Mechanical Insufflation-Exsufflation in Invasively Ventilated Critically Ill Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Nursing in critical careMechanical insufflation-exsufflation, alone or added to suctioning or physiotherapy, increased sputum clearance in invasively ventilated ICU adults, but did not significantly improve oxygenation, ventilator-free days or ICU stay. Use it as an adjunct for retained secretions, not as a proven way to shorten ventilation.
• RNCohort2026Analgesia in trauma patients treated by advanced life support nursing units: a retrospective pre-post intervention observational study.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemIn 164 adults treated after trauma, Verbal Numerical Rating Scale pain fell from 8.48 to 4.09 after IV analgesia prescribed by physician via telemedicine in nursing-led units. No immediate adverse events were recorded.
• RNCohort2026Mortality prediction using the Shock Index and Modified Shock Index in the Emergency Department.Revista brasileira de enfermagemIn 365 emergency patients with shock, the Modified Shock Index predicted in-hospital death better than the Shock Index in septic, mixed and cardiogenic shock. In hypovolemic shock, both performed similarly.