TOPIC

Medical-surgical research

Everything we have read on medical-surgical. 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.

342 PAPERS · PAGE 3 OF 7 · NEWEST FIRST

• RNRCT2026A randomised pilot study evaluating music therapy and virtual reality mindfulness sessions for reducing anxiety and stress in patients undergoing first-time elective cardiac surgery.Journal of perioperative practiceBoth music and VR reduced preoperative anxiety scores by similar amounts, but neither lowered stress hormone levels. Because there was no untreated control group, it is impossible to know if the interventions themselves caused the improvement.
• RNQualitative2026Evaluating Treatment Burden in Patients with Complex Needs Receiving a Transition of Care Intervention: A Rapid Qualitative Analysis.Clinical nursing researchMost recently hospitalized patients with complex needs reported minimal treatment burden, aided by family support and provider communication. Nurse-led outreach calls were appreciated for reminders and reassurance, but did not resolve deeper issues like insurance gaps or lack of home help.
• RNOther2026Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the MISSCARE Survey-Patient-Danish Version.Journal of advanced nursingAn adapted MISSCARE survey let Danish hospital patients report missed nursing care, especially gaps in physical, emotional and relational care, but it was not tested again over time.
• RNMeta-Analysis2026Assessing the Effectiveness of Interventions Implemented by Nurses to Reduce Medication Administration Errors in Hospitalised Acute Adult Patient Settings: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of clinical nursingNurse-implemented interventions lowered medication administration errors overall, but the evidence is uneven. Smart workflow technologies showed the clearest benefit. Education, electronic medication systems and low-resource ward interventions did not show a clear overall benefit.
• RNCohort2025Symptom Burden and Quality of Life in Inpatient Palliative Care: Prospective Evaluation With IPOS-POL.Holistic nursing practiceOverall symptom burden did not change significantly from admission to reassessment, but patient-reported psychosocial distress increased. Staff ratings were lower than patient ratings for total burden and distress.
• RNSystematic Review2025Do Nursing Patient Classification Systems to Classify Inpatients Impact Outcomes? A Scoping Review.Western journal of nursing researchOnly four small, non-experimental studies have assessed outcomes of nursing patient classification systems. In one discharge study, a researcher using an NPCS reported 149 care areas versus 82 by nurses without it. Evidence is too thin to change care.
• RNOther2025Clinical validation of the terminology subset for newborns with Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter in Intensive Care.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PA structured nursing language for neonates with PICCs was clinically validated. The final set includes 53 diagnoses and 110 interventions. This provides a standardized framework for assessing and documenting care, improving communication and consistency in the NICU.
• RNCohort2025A Data-Driven Model to Predict Delirium Based on Dynamic Patterns of Clinical Deterioration in Critically Ill Patients.Nursing in critical careIn 3600 ICU patients, sustained worsening of vital signs and blood tests was linked to delirium. Nurses should watch low diastolic blood pressure, high heart rate, high carbon dioxide, low albumin, high blood urea nitrogen or high sodium as possible delirium risk markers.
• RNQualitative2025Culturally Responsive Surgical Care for Older People and Family Carers: A Dyadic Analysis.Nursing & health sciencesFamily members often translated surgical information and navigated care for older people from diverse backgrounds. Patients sometimes accepted partial understanding, while carers reported more stress, advocacy burden, and faith or gender roles shaping decisions.
• RNNarrative Review2025PrEP-ared for Surgery? A Comprehensive Narrative Review of Perioperative Recommendations for Anesthesia Providers.AANA journalThe review suggests continuing PrEP around surgery unless contraindicated. Teams should plan for kidney, bone, blood pressure, injection timing, and stigma concerns.
• RNCohort2025Longitudinal Pain Medication Use Among US Older Adults After a Hip Fracture.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationAmong 88,433 Medicare beneficiaries discharged to a skilled nursing facility after hip fracture, 83.7% received pain medication during 100-day follow-up. Among gabapentinoid recipients in the first 15 days, 91.0% were co-prescribed an opioid.
• RNQualitative2025Exploring How the Psychological Safety of Patients Is Impacted by Restrictive Practices in Inpatient Mental Healthcare: A Qualitative Study.International journal of mental health nursingEighteen former inpatients described restrictive practices as psychologically unsafe when staff reacted to behaviour without exploring why, used locked doors and blanket restrictions, or left them without debrief. Clear communication and small choices could improve safety.
• RNRCT2025Efficacy of Double-Pocket Fecal Catheter System Combined With Camellia Oil Application in the Prevention and Treatment of Irritant Contact Dermatitis Due to Incontinence Among Patients in the Intensive Care Unit.Advances in skin & wound careIn ICU patients at high risk for incontinence dermatitis, double-pocket fecal catheter plus camellia oil had lowest incidence, longest onset, milder cases, lower cost and faster healing than zinc oxide alone. The trial had no blinding reported and no stated primary outcome.
• RNMeta-Analysis2025Nursing Interventions for Management of Patients Undergoing Hernia Surgery: A Meta-Analysis.Nursing openNurse-led care after hernia repair was associated with less pain, fewer complications and shorter stays than standard care. Pain results varied widely, and some published studies may have been selectively reported.
• RNMeta-Analysis2025The Effects of Family Voice Intervention on Delirium in Adult Critical Care Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nursing in critical careRecorded family voice messages in ICU patients reduced delirium incidence and duration. The effect was seen when voice messages were combined with other sensory, cognitive or sleep supports, but not when voice messages were used alone. Ventilation and ICU stay did not shorten.
• RNNarrative Review2025State-of-the-Art Review of Current Technology in Pressure Injury Early Detection.Advances in skin & wound careFour FDA-cleared or authorized devices add nonvisible pressure injury signs to skin checks: ultrasound, thermal imaging, subepidermal moisture, and tissue oxygenation. They are adjuncts, not replacements, and evidence is limited.
• RNMeta-Analysis2025Comparative Efficacy of Endotracheal Tube Holders Versus Traditional Securing Methods in the Intensive Care Unit: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nursing in critical careEndotracheal tube holders reduced total tube-related pressure injuries compared with tape or bandages in ICU patients, but the certainty was very low and the benefit was not clear for lip, oral or facial ulcers or dislodgement.
• RNCohort2025Frailty and Anemia in Geriatric Care: A Retrospective Cohort Study.The American journal of nursingFrailty and anemia were both common in hospitalized older adults, and the two conditions were linked. Nurses should assess hemoglobin levels and physical activity status during care planning, as these factors were associated with frailty.
• RNCohort2025Bridging Distances: A Retrospective Study of Virtual Wound Care to Reduce Travel Burden in Rural Healthcare.The Australian journal of rural healthPatients using a nurse-led virtual wound service in rural New South Wales had estimated average round-trip savings of 65 minutes and AU$59.67 for those 0 to 50 km from a specialist, and 444 minutes and AU$507.49 for those over 201 km.
• RNQualitative2025Lived Experience and Clinician Perspectives on the Priorities and Challenges of Integrating Peer Support in Acute Psychiatric Services for People With BPD.International journal of mental health nursingPeople with lived experience of BPD and their families described peer support in acute psychiatric services as potentially reducing shame and isolation, if it is consistent, trauma-informed, and continues after discharge.
• RNSystematic Review2025Summary of the Best Evidence on Skin-Mucosal Care in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.Advances in skin & wound careSkin-mucosal care recommendations for SJS/TEN include early eye assessment, daily oral and swallowing checks, leaving detached epidermis in place, and avoiding adhesive devices.
• RNOther2025Effect of a new nursing organization management mode constructed by appreciative inquiry on gynecological tumor patients in the perioperative period.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PGynecological tumor surgery patients in an appreciative inquiry nursing model had better resilience, quality of life, fewer pelvic floor symptoms, shorter postoperative recovery, and higher satisfaction than routine nursing patients.
• RNNarrative Review2026Procedural and Therapy Peripheral Intravenous Catheters: A Framework for Safety, Quality and Patient-Centred Care.Journal of advanced nursingA proposed bedside question sorts peripheral IV catheters into short procedural or overnight therapy use, with matching choices for site, device, disinfection, dressing, monitoring, documentation and removal.
• RNOther2025Patient-Controlled Sedation During Gynaecological Procedures-Aspects of Patient Satisfaction, Feasibility and Cost Per Patient: Empirical Research Quantitative.Nursing openPatient-controlled propofol sedation allowed 128 gynaecological procedures to be completed safely without anaesthesiologists present. Most patients reported no or mild pain, and 86% were very satisfied. Direct costs for IUD insertion were 85% lower when performed in the outpatient clinic rather than the day surgery unit.
• RNCohort2025Post-COVID-19 Consequences in Relatives of Severely Ill Patients: Results of the Prospective Multicenter NeNeSCo Study.Clinical nursing researchRelatives of ICU COVID survivors had more anxiety and caregiver strain than relatives of ward survivors. By 15 months, anxiety scores fell but clinically relevant anxiety stayed similar, while caregiver strain rose. Passive coping was linked to anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms, and strain.
• PTRNOther2025Frailty and mobility in hospitalized older adults: an analytical cross sectional study.Revista brasileira de enfermagemFrail hospitalized older adults had much lower mobility than non-frail and prefrail patients. Prefrail and non-frail patients did not differ. This association was measured at admission, so it cannot show frailty caused the mobility loss.
• RNQualitative2026The Lived Experience of the Trusting Nurse-Patient Relationship Among Patients Admitted to Internal Medicine Wards.Journal of advanced nursingPatients described trust growing from feeling safe, then from nurses noticing them, listening, staying briefly, and offering small comforts. Nurses' authenticity mattered more than time spent. Hurried or task-only care undermined trust.
• RNSystematic Review2026Comparing sugammadex to neostigmine and their effects on delirium and postoperative cognitive function: A systematic review.Journal of perioperative practiceSugammadex did not reduce postoperative delirium or cognitive dysfunction compared with neostigmine. One small study reported better recovery scores, but the authors said they were unlikely clinically important.
• RNSurvey2026How Context Shapes Person-Centred Fundamental Care Through Nurse-Patient Relationships: Validation of the FoC Intelligence Modelling Tool and Predictive Pathway Analysis.Journal of advanced nursingA Spanish-language survey of 1053 hospitalised patients validated a tool measuring how care context and nurse-patient relationships shape integrated care. Better contextual support predicted stronger relationships, which in turn strongly predicted care integration, confirming the nurse-patient bond as the key mediator.
• RNOther2025In Vitro Venous Catheter Material Comparison: Microbial Adhesion in a Thrombotic Blood Flow Model.Journal of infusion nursing : the official publication of the Infusion Nurses SocietyIn lab blood-flow tests, hydrophilic biomaterial catheters showed more than 96.3% less clot and more than 99.99% less microbial adhesion than thermoplastic polyurethane catheters.
• RNSurvey2025Self-Reported Burden Among Informal Caregivers of Patients Receiving Psychiatric Hospital Treatment: A National Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of mental health nursing52.3% of outpatient and 66.8% of inpatient caregivers reported high burden, especially parents. Free-text comments described emotional strain, strained relationships, 24/7 demands and poor care coordination. Ask family caregivers about burden and discharge support, but this survey cannot prove what reduces it.
• RNSurvey2025Frailty and nursing care demand in hospitalized older adults: a cross-sectional study.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemFrail older adults in hospital were significantly more likely to need high-dependency or intensive nursing care than non-frail patients. Assessing frailty markers like grip strength and gait speed at admission helps predict who needs more staff time and specific care for mobility and hygiene.
• RNOther2025Risk Assessment Scale for the Development of Medical Adhesive-related Skin Injuries.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemA new 48-item scale identified hospitalized adults at higher risk of skin injury from medical adhesives. A score of 11 or more marked high risk, and high-risk patients were more likely to develop injury.
• RNCohort2025Sleep Quality, Circadian Rhythm Stability and Changes in Delirium State in Predicting Mortality Risk in Intensive Care Unit Patients: A Prospective Observational Study.Nursing in critical careICU patients with more fragmented sleep and less stable daily rhythms more often had delirium, and prolonged delirium was linked with higher six-month mortality. These are associations, not proof that improving sleep prevents delirium.
• RNCohort2025Effects of Outdoor Therapy on Delirium in Patients With Prolonged Intensive Care Unit Stays: A Single-Centre Retrospective Study.Nursing in critical careSupervised outdoor sessions in ICU patients with stays of at least 7 days were associated with lower discharge delirium scores after comparing similar patients, and more sessions were linked to lower scores. Same-day scores also dropped after the first outing.
• RNQualitative2025Social representations of radical prostatectomy from the perspective of men undergoing surgery.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PMen described prostate removal as relief and necessary, but many linked it to lost sexual function, urinary leakage, and damaged manhood. Some also said they wanted clearer preparation and emotional support.
• RNSurvey2025Psychological impact of caregiving: anxiety and depression levels among caregivers of patients with pressure ulcers.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S P54.9% of caregivers of home-care patients with pressure ulcers had anxiety symptoms and 56.6% had depression symptoms. Distress was higher with stage IV ulcers, care over 12 hours daily, continuous care, no personal income, or caregiver chronic illness.
• RNOther2025Strategies adopted by the nursing team for the prevention of pressure ulcers in hospitalized older people: a scoping review.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S P11 studies mapped 10 nursing strategies for preventing pressure ulcers in hospitalized older adults: risk assessment, skin checks, repositioning, support surfaces, moisture care, nutrition, education, training, protocols, and technology.
• RNCohort2025Implementation of a Continuous Video Monitoring Program to Decrease Inpatient Falls in a Long-Term Acute Care Hospital Setting: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study.The American journal of nursingIn a long-term acute care hospital, inpatient falls declined from 4.9 to 3.8 per 1,000 patient-days after a continuous video monitoring program with technicians and nurse supervisor workflows. The paper does not show that any single part caused the change.
• RNCohort2026Prevalence and risk factors of acute kidney injury in patients with hip fractures.Journal of perioperative practiceIn hip fracture patients, 21.6% developed acute kidney injury, mostly after surgery. Higher body weight, longer stay, and fracturing while already an inpatient were linked to postoperative AKI.
• PTOTRNOther2025Functionality and cognition of older adults hospitalized in a university hospital.Revista brasileira de enfermagemHospitalized older adults commonly had probable cognitive deficit and partial dependence in instrumental activities. Those aged 80 or older had more basic-activity dependence and probable cognitive deficit; age group did not show an association with instrumental activity dependence.
• RNCohort2025Factors Associated with the Development of Skin Lesions in Hospitalized Patients Admitted to a Nursing Preventive Care Program in Colombia.Investigacion y educacion en enfermeriaSkin lesions in hospitalized patients clustered with hydrocolloid dressings, longer stay, parenteral or mixed nutrition, incontinence, BMI above 23, and cancer, respiratory, or cardiovascular diagnoses. Nurses should treat these as risk markers, not proof dressings caused lesions.
• PTOTRNCohort2026Healing at Home: Receipt of Home Health Care and Patient-Centered Outcomes Among Older Adults After Acute Myocardial Infarction.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationHome health care after AMI made no significant difference to days not at home in older adults. It was linked to a lower chance of a 5-point or greater physical health status decline.
• 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.
• RNRCT2025Evaluation of the effectiveness of solutions for clearing neonatal central venous catheters: randomized study.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PSaline, vitamin C and heparin cleared clot-blocked neonatal central venous catheters equally well in lab tests. No difference was found in attempts or time, and all devices cleared.
• 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.
• RNCohort2025Predictive model of surgical infection to enhance patient safety: A retrospective cohort study.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PInfection chance was higher with older age, longer operating time, not using video-assisted surgery, higher wound contamination, higher ASA class, and general surgery among 20,778 surgeries.
• 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.
• RNSystematic Review2025Prophylactic dressings for preventing nasal pressure ulcer in premature newborns: an effectiveness review.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PHydrocolloid dressings and 1.8 mm silicone gel sheets appear to reduce nasal pressure ulcers in preterm newborns using CPAP or non-invasive ventilation, compared with no dressing or routine care. Evidence quality is low, so monitor skin closely.
• RNQualitative2025Solutions to Enhance Oral Care Among Hospitalised Patients: A Participatory Design Process Developed Jointly by Patients and Healthcare Professionals.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesPatients and hospital staff co-designed two oral-care solutions: an admission bag with a short postcard and oral-care products, and a ward network supported by dental hygienists. The study developed the designs; it did not test whether they improve oral care.