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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.

278 PAPERS · PAGE 3 OF 6 · NEWEST FIRST

• RNQualitative2025Elderly Medical Patients' Experience of an Acute Readmission to the Emergency Department-An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesOlder adults readmitted to an emergency department felt trapped by fragmented care. They needed a clear explanation, someone who believed them, and support from family or one trusted clinician. Missing these made them doubt symptoms and lose trust.
• RNCohort2025Adherence to the acceleration of total postoperative recovery protocol and perioperative complications in cancer patients.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PIn 229 ICU patients after cancer surgery, 157 had complications and 27 died. Adherence to fluid limits, early refeeding, and nausea prevention was associated with fewer complications; age and immediate postoperative SOFA were linked to death.
• RNSystematic Review2025Experiences and Perceptions of Hospital to Home Transitional Care for Parents of Premature Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis.Nursing openParents of preterm infants moving from NICU to home felt relieved but unsafe without hospital monitoring. Many lacked confidence in feeding and care; parents reported feeling more prepared when they had hands-on NICU involvement and continued support.
• RNCase-Control2025Factors associated with the occurrence of COVID-19 in the pediatric population in hospital settings: a case-control study.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PAmong hospitalized children, emergency or intensive care admission, corticosteroid use, runny nose and comorbidities were linked to a positive COVID-19 test. These associations did not prove cause.
• RNPilot2026Family-Centred Care Rounds in a Neonatal Intensive Care Setting: An Implementation Sciences Feasibility Study.Nursing in critical careFamily-centred rounds were run in a NICU, but parental participation was low and variable. Overall collaboration, parental stress, and satisfaction did not improve; coordination and feeling involved did.
• RNCohort2026Acute Stress and Need for Psychological Follow-Up Care in Parents of Children Treated at the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.Nursing in critical careBefore discharge, no parent, child, or treatment factor tested in the final model was linked to acute stress disorder, although 63.5% of parents met its criteria. Parents at PTSD risk reported needing follow-up care eight times more often.
• RNSurvey2026The Differential Impact of Emotional Support on Social Problem-Solving and Mental Health Among Latina Immigrant Survivors of Adverse Childhood Experiences.Research in nursing & healthAmong Latina immigrant women with childhood trauma, emotional support was associated with better problem-solving for some trauma profiles and lower depression and anxiety for others, but it did not buffer all symptoms equally.
• RNSystematic Review2025Transition experiences of patients and families upon discharge from intensive care: a scoping review.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemAdult patients and families described ICU-to-inpatient transfer as stressful and poorly explained. Across 30 studies, gaps in information and communication appeared at assessment, planning, execution and follow-up. Nurses should expect unmet needs and give clear information.
• RNCohort2025Trajectories of cumulative fluid balance and the association with pressure injuries in ICU patients.International journal of nursing sciencesICU patients whose cumulative fluid balance rose rapidly over the first 7 days had more pressure injuries, even after accounting for severity and ICU treatments. Treat rapid accumulation as a skin-risk signal in nursing care, but this does not prove that changing fluids prevents injuries.
• RNOther2025Trajectory and determinants of family resilience in caregivers of preterm infants: A mixed-methods study.International journal of nursing sciencesFamily resilience in caregivers of preterm infants followed a V-shaped pattern, dropping to its lowest point at three months before recovering by six months. Resilience was linked to coping style, family functioning, and social support, not to the infant's gestational age or birth weight.
• RNOther2025Prevalence of skin injuries related to medical adhesives in Brazilian hospitals: a multicenter study.Revista brasileira de enfermagemIn adult ICU patients, 33 of 108 had skin injury from medical adhesives. More adhesives and peripheral venous access fixation were linked to injury. Maceration and dermatitis were the most frequently identified types.
• RNCase Report2025Monitoring enteral feeding tolerance in a critically ill patient using point-of-care ultrasound.Revista brasileira de enfermagemIn one ICU patient, nurses used bedside ultrasound to estimate stomach volume, held feed advancement, gave a stomach-emptying medicine, and moved the tube past the stomach; he reached target calories within three days. This is one patient, not evidence.
• RNMeta-Analysis2026Prevalence of Agitation and Its Associated Factors in Adult Intensive Care Unit: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nursing in critical careAgitation was common in adult intensive care units, affecting 55.65% of patients across 10 studies. Fever above 37.5°C was the only factor associated with agitation; pain, delirium, low sodium and restraints were not.
• RNOther2025Factors associated with death in severe patients with COVID-19/diabetes mellitus in Brazil.Revista brasileira de enfermagemIn severe COVID-19 cases with diabetes, older age, kidney disease, respiratory distress, low oxygen saturation, and ventilatory support were associated with higher death risk, not proof they caused death.
• RNSurvey2026Do Injury, Depression, and PTSD Mediate the Relationships Between Latent Profiles of Cumulative Lifetime Violence and Chronic Pain Disability in Men?Research in nursing & healthCanadian men reporting severe lifetime violence as both targets and perpetrators had the highest chronic pain disability; PTSD and injuries were associated with pain disability, depression was not.
• RNCohort2026The OCTO-Plus Intervention to Support Families of Chronically Critically Ill Children in Paediatric Critical Care: A Pilot Study.Nursing in critical careParents of chronically critically ill children in paediatric critical care could be recruited and kept in a nurse and physician-delivered family support pilot; stress, anxiety, depression and family functioning scores trended better, but it did not test whether the support works.
• RNCohort2025Factors Associated With an Elder Mistreatment Diagnosis Among Medicare Home Health Care Recipients.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationAmong Medicare home health patients, elder mistreatment diagnoses were rare at 0.3%, but literacy, housing or income problems, TBI, behavioral health, mobility, skin symptoms, and hospitalization risk were associated with higher risk.
• RNCase Report2026Family Partnership in Hypnosis to Improve Mechanical Ventilation Weaning in an ICU Patient With High Cervical Spinal Cord Injury-A Case Report.Nursing in critical careA sedated patient with high cervical spinal cord injury could not speak, so his mother supplied sensory details for hypnosis scripts; he reported comfort during a trial, but this single case cannot show hypnosis caused weaning.
• RNCohort2025Incidents related to the duration of medical devices in Intensive Care: a cross-sectional study.Revista brasileira de enfermagemICU records documented 5,436 devices and 61 clinical incidents. Infections and device-related pressure injury were among the most frequent incidents, and the reported average time to incident was 10 days for ventilation, 9.39 days for central lines, and 8.4 days for urinary catheters.
• RNOther2025Cross-cultural adaptation of Family Satisfaction with Care in the Intensive Care Unit 24R - Brazilian version.Revista brasileira de enfermagemThe Brazilian Portuguese ICU family satisfaction questionnaire passed expert review and a 30-family pre-test, with approval above 85%. It is ready for larger testing, not proof that using it improves care.
• RNSurvey2026Resource Factors Associated With Avoidable Transfers in Nursing Homes.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationNursing home transfers were more often judged avoidable when staff were uncomfortable with the resident's change in condition or an advanced practice registered nurse or RN was unavailable. Onsite clinician and equipment gaps were more often linked to transfers judged unavoidable.
• RNQualitative2025Navigating the Complexities of Implementing Evidence-Based Respiratory Muscle Training in Post-Mechanical Ventilation Care: A Qualitative Study.Nursing openNurses and doctors described respiratory muscle training as underused due to unclear roles, lack of standardised protocols, and heavy workloads. Patients cited pain and weakness as barriers. Staff noted that dedicated respiratory therapists and leadership support helped integrate training into care.
• RNCohort2026Evaluation of a Shift Model Doula Program During Labor and Birth at a Large Volume, Safety-Net Teaching Hospital.Journal of midwifery & women's healthIn-hospital doula support was associated with a 31% lower adjusted risk of cesarean birth. NICU admissions were lower (2.8% vs 5.1%), but the study did not show a clear difference. Doulas were accepted 94.7% of times offered.
• PTSLPRNCohort2025Maternal Racial Differences and Socioeconomic Status in Preterm Infant Neurodevelopment, Feeding, and Growth.Nursing researchPreterm infants born to Black mothers had lower birth weight, younger gestational age, and higher neonatal risk scores; ZIP-code poverty, family size, and income were also linked with neurodevelopment, feeding, and growth outcomes.
• RNOther2026Maternal stress in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A concept analysis.Japan journal of nursing science : JJNSFor NICU nurses, maternal stress includes guilt, feeling stuck and vague anxiety about the future, not only anxiety or depression. Staff communication and support can ease or worsen it, so assessment should cover separation, alarms and parental-role barriers.
• RNSurvey2026Synthetic Cannabinoid Use and Sports-Related Concussion Risk Among US Adolescents: Implications for School Health Screening and Prevention.The Journal of school healthUS adolescents who had ever used synthetic cannabinoids were more likely to report a past-year sports-related concussion in a survey sample of 27,482 students. The link remained after accounting for alcohol, marijuana, mood, sleep, and demographics.
• RNCohort2026A Real-Time Prospective Evaluation of the Prognostic Accuracy of SIRS, MEWS, NEWS2 and qSOFA in Predicting ICU Admission and Mortality in an Emergency Department: Implications for Nursing Practice.Nursing in critical careIn ED patients with suspected infection, NEWS2 best flagged those who later needed a prolonged ICU stay, while qSOFA best flagged those who died within 28 days. No score was both good at catching those outcomes and good at avoiding false alarms.
• RNNarrative Review2026A Reflection on Current Definitions of Critical Care and Critical Illness-A Narrative Review of the Literature.Nursing in critical careDefinitions of critical care, critical illness and chronic critical illness vary widely. The review found 13, eight and 12 definitions, with differences in timing, setting and complications, and almost no mention of patient experience.
• RNQualitative2026Fear and Challenging Behaviour: A Phenomenological-Hermeneutic Study of Public Mass Shooting Attacks During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand.Nursing openSurvivors described fear as a physical presence that disrupted sleep and daily routines. They coped through shared silence with others, mindfulness, and creative expression. Care that validated their fear and offered non-verbal outlets supported recovery more than standard clinical explanations.
• RNSystematic Review2026A Thematic Qualitative Synthesis on the Lived Experiences of Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices: A Journey From Vulnerability to Resilience.Nursing in critical carePatients with left ventricular assist devices describe a journey from vulnerability to resilience, marked by stigma, fear of device failure, and identity loss. Critical care nurses are positioned to support early coping through holistic, person-centred care that addresses these psychosocial burdens.
• RNSurvey2026Families' Perception of Cognitive and Emotional Support From Healthcare Professionals Across the Maternal and Newborn Care Continuum.Nursing in critical careFamilies in Ghana gave maternal and newborn staff an overall support score of 45.3 of 70. Emotional support was rated lower than information, and families wanted clearer updates, inclusion of male partners and family members, and time for discussions.
• RNOther2026Primary Nursing in Intensive Care Units.Nursing in critical carePrimary nursing increased ICU nursing organisation scores in one unit, but the other unit only partly reached it and some patient and care process measures fell.
• RNOther2026Postoperative Consequences of Fear and Anxiety in Open Heart Surgery: A Comparative Analysis of Two Patient Groups.The journal of nursing research : JNRReferral and nonreferral cardiac surgery patients had similar postoperative pain and similar preoperative anxiety and fear. In referral patients, fear was linked to pain, and anxiety was linked to discharge time, but no treatment was tested.
• RNOther2026A Retrospective Linked Data Analysis of Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease Diagnoses in Children Aged Under Five Years in Australia, 2001-2017.The Australian journal of rural healthAcute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease were first diagnosed in 180 Australian children under 5 years. Most were Indigenous or very remote, and only 69.4% were notified to registers, so follow-up and preventive treatment may have been missed.
• RNRCT2026Single-Use Versus Multiple-Use Endotracheal Suction Catheters in Mechanically Ventilated Patients: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial.Nursing in critical careIn 58 mechanically ventilated ICU patients, single-use suction catheters and chlorhexidine-flushed reused catheters were feasible, with no adverse events. This pilot cannot show whether these catheter strategies reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia compared with standard saline flushing.
• RNQualitative2026Mothers' Views on the Use of Oral Glucose for Pain Relief in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.Nursing in critical careMothers of NICU infants saw oral glucose as easy and acceptable when it seemed to relieve pain, but disliked sugar, doubted its effect, and preferred breast milk or parental comfort. They wanted guidance to participate.
• RNRCT2026Effectiveness of Closed Blood-Sampling Devices in Critically Ill Adults: A Feasibility Trial.Nursing in critical careOnly 9.3% of screened patients were eligible, 27.1% of randomised patients were lost to follow-up, and 91.7% received care as planned. The device group reported lower transfusion and discard volume, but the trial did not test whether it worked.
• RNCohort2026Short Delays in Time to First Contact With Community Health Services and Risk of Emergency Hospital Attendance: Retrospective Observational Study.Journal of advanced nursingA short weekend delay in first community health service contact after a primary care referral was not associated with increased emergency department attendance within 56 days, even though Thursday referrals were less likely to be seen on days two or three.
• RNQualitative2026'In the Midst of a Thunderstorm': Young People's Experiences of Physical Restraint in Inpatient Mental Health Services in the UK.International journal of mental health nursingYoung people aged 10-13 described inpatient physical restraint as frightening and confusing. Fear built before contact, restraint felt like losing control, and distress lingered afterward, often without helpful debrief.
• RNQualitative2026Parents' Perspectives of Child-Centred Care: A Qualitative Study With Parents After Paediatric Intensive Care Units Discharge.Nursing in critical careParents after paediatric intensive care discharge said safety came from timely, clear information, continuity with nurses, and a welcoming place to stay. When they felt safe, they could be mentally present and partner in their child's care.
• RNNarrative Review2026'Aint We Women?' A Narrative Review of Intensive and Acute Care Experiences of Black Women Through an Intersectional Lens.Nursing in critical careBlack women in US acute and critical care studies reported delayed access, dismissed pain, mistrust and worse outcomes. Nurses should ask about identity, culture and family concerns, and check whether standard assessments may not recognise their expressions.
• RNQualitative2026Nurses' Experiences of Caring for Children on Long-Term Mechanical Ventilation.Nursing in critical careNurses on general paediatric wards felt insecure managing children on long-term home ventilation due to unfamiliar equipment and high parental expectations. They relied on parents' expertise to build trust, but struggled when support from specialist teams was unavailable.
• RNCohort2026Chronic adrenocortical activity and onset of Takotsubo syndrome.European journal of cardiovascular nursingHair cortisol was twice as high in 59 Takotsubo patients than in historical controls, but it did not track reported triggers or predict post-discharge psychological distress.
• RNCohort2026Emergency Department Presentations for Mental Health Crisis: Comparing ED-Only Care With Transfer to a Crisis Stabilisation Unit.International journal of mental health nursingAdults transferred to a crisis stabilisation unit spent less time in the emergency department before transfer, but they did not return to the emergency department less often than adults who stayed there.
• RNCase-Control2026Risk Factors for Pressure Injury in ICU Patients.Nursing openICU patients with co-morbidities, MEWS score of 5 or more, sedative use, Braden nutrition score, skin oedema or faecal incontinence were identified as at higher risk for hospital-acquired pressure injury. Nurses can use these markers to prioritise skin checks and repositioning.
• RNOther2026Association of Emergency Department and Medical-Surgical Nurse Staffing on Patient Departures Against Medical Advice.Journal of emergency nursingEach additional patient per ED nurse was associated with a higher likelihood of patients leaving against medical advice. Each additional medical-surgical patient was associated with higher likelihood as well. Staffing load may contribute to patients leaving before recommended care.
• RNCohort2026The Prognostic Value of Capillary Refill Time in Patients With Sepsis: A Prospective Cohort Study.Nursing in critical careA nurse-measured capillary refill time after fluid resuscitation may help flag sepsis patients at higher risk of death. It worked as a bedside warning sign, not proof that changing treatment based on it improves outcomes.
• RNOther2026Opportunities to Improve Nutrition for Patients in Hospital After Discharge From an Intensive Care Unit: A Human Factors Analysis.Nursing in critical carePost-ICU ward nutrition is often delayed because intake is poorly documented, dietitian referral is often missed, and NG tube checks or procedure breaks interrupt feeds. Nurses can monitor intake, refer early, and avoid early NG tube removal.
• RNSurvey2026Consumer Perspectives on PICU Safety and Quality.Nursing in critical careFamilies ranked nurse staffing on shift, visible patient goals, medication complications, long-term disability follow-up and bloodstream infection as top PICU safety measures. They also wanted bedside handover and clearer communication after mistakes.
• PTRNQualitative2026Surviving a Critical Care Admission for COVID-19: A Qualitative Study of Experiences and Unmet Needs During the Recovery Period.Nursing in critical careFifteen COVID-19 ICU survivors said they often did not feel as unwell as they were, then found recovery confusing and support too late. They wanted clear explanations, early practical help, and consistent follow-up.