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.

594 PAPERS · PAGE 6 OF 12 · NEWEST FIRST

• RNCohort2025COVID-19: association of the National Early Warning Score with triage categories, severity and outcomes.Revista brasileira de enfermagemHigher NEWS2 and NEWS Age scores in adults with COVID-19 in a Brazilian emergency department were linked with red or orange triage, early deterioration, acute respiratory failure, ventilation and death.
• RNRCT2025Preliminary Efficacy of a Self-Management Programme to Improve Quality-of-Life in Patients With Obesity and Osteoarthritis Awaiting Arthroplasty: A Randomised Trial.International journal of nursing practiceNurse-led self-management support improved mental health, coping and social functioning in obese patients waiting for joint replacement. Physical pain and overall quality of life scores did not differ from usual care. The intervention was feasible and delivered mostly by phone.
• RNCohort2025Use of a risk-based intervention bundle to prescribe and implement interventions to prevent pressure injury: An observational study.Journal of advanced nursingMost pressure injury interventions were prescribed for 341 inpatients, but implementation was often undocumented or not observed. Check that prescribed skin checks, nutrition referrals, patient education, and equipment are actually delivered.
• RNCohort2025The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on longitudinal trends of surgical mortality and inpatient quality of care in Ontario, Canada.Journal of advanced nursingDuring the pandemic, Ontario hospital records showed more delirium, pressure injuries, aspiration, blood clots, catheter infections, C. difficile, restraint use, and worse mortality after bladder and open abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery, while lung resection mortality improved.
• RNMeta-Analysis2025Patient positioning on the operating table and patient safety: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of advanced nursingPatient positioning during surgery was linked to nerve, skin, eye and muscle injuries. Prone positioning had the highest reported harm risk, but occurrence was uncertain across studies.
• RNSurvey2025The effect of missed care on the nursing image perceived by patients and their trust relationships with nurses.International nursing reviewPatients reporting more missed nursing care trusted nurses less and viewed the profession more negatively. Communication gaps and unmet basic care were especially tied to lower trust. This was a patient-report survey, so it shows association, not cause.
• RNQualitative2025Nurse-sensitive quality and benchmarking in hospitals striving for Magnet® or Pathway® designation: A qualitative study.Journal of advanced nursingManagers in German hospitals seeking Magnet or Pathway designation found nurse-sensitive data scarce. Pressure ulcer and fall tracking was inconsistent. They identified clinician buy-in, academic nursing staff, and electronic records as prerequisites for any meaningful benchmarking.
• RNSurvey2025Undergoing Orthopaedic Day Surgery: What Factors Are Associated With patients' Feeling of Safety and Their Recovery?Journal of clinical nursingPatients after orthopaedic day surgery who were more anxious before surgery felt less safe and reported poorer recovery. Those with previous surgery felt safer. Feeling safer was linked with better recovery.
• RNQualitative2025Empowering Support for Family Members of Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury During the Acute Care: Insights From Family Members and Nurses.Journal of advanced nursingFamily members and nurses agreed acute brain injury care should give timely clear information, hope, participation and support services. They disagreed about delivery: families wanted nurses to guide and stay; nurses cited time, roles and systems.
• RNSystematic Review2025Parents' perceptions of patient safety in paediatric hospital care-A mixed-methods systematic review.Journal of advanced nursingParents of hospitalized children are willing and ready to help monitor safety, but they often stay silent for fear of appearing rude or causing trouble for their child. Clinicians must explicitly invite parents to speak up and verify care details to unlock this safety resource.
• PTRNMeta-Analysis2025Non-Pharmacological Sleep Interventions after Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials.Journal of clinical nursingNon-drug sleep interventions after cardiac surgery improved patient-reported sleep quality, but sleep duration did not show a clear improvement. The evidence is low quality and very varied, so no single technique is proven best.
• RNQualitative2025Using FRAME Documentation to Achieve RE-AIM Goals During Iterative, Stakeholder-Engaged Refinement of a Family Management Intervention for Parents of Preterm Infants.Journal of advanced nursingParents and NICU clinicians asked for a video parent-training program for very preterm infants to be easier to access, more inclusive, and less dependent on staff time. Nurses may use these requests to adapt parent education, but no tested effects on parents or infants.
• RNQualitative2025Nurse-Assisted Remote Patient Monitoring for Self-Management Support to Patients With Long-Term Illness-A Qualitative Multimethod Study.Journal of advanced nursingPatients described the remote monitoring as a safe space to ask questions and see their own trends, which helped them manage their condition after discharge. Nurses reported being able to spot problems early and offer support, but found it difficult to judge severity from data alone.
• RNOther2025Validity and Reliability of the Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory and Self-Care Self-Efficacy Scale in Patients Living With Cancer.Journal of advanced nursingCancer patients taking oral anticancer drugs could be assessed with existing self-care questionnaires. The monitoring and self-efficacy scales each worked as a single measure, and self-care scores tracked patients' global health status.
• RNSystematic Review2026The health and well-being of children with medical complexity and their parents' when admitted to inpatient care units: A scoping review.Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and communityParents of medically complex children described hospital stays as exhausting, frightening, and sometimes driving thoughts of suicide. Children wanted routines, play, and staff who made them feel comfortable. The review mostly maps experiences, so it does not prove treatments.
• RNOther2025Adaptation and Validation of the Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool (SPICT): A Quantitative Methodological Study.Journal of advanced nursingThe Chinese version of SPICT screened hospitalized cancer patients for palliative care needs and matched another screening tool, but it was not tested against death or clinical outcomes.
• RNSystematic Review2025Medication Management of Patients With Cancer Undergoing Surgery From Preadmission to Discharge: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review.Journal of advanced nursingOlder adults with cancer undergoing surgery who took multiple regular medicines were more likely to be discharged to institutions, stay longer or die in some studies. Findings conflicted. Patients reported better understanding after preadmission pharmacist review.
• RNCohort2025A Prospective Cohort Study of Technique and Technology Used to Improve First Time PIVC Insertion Success in Hospitalised Paediatric Patients.Journal of advanced nursingIn hospitalised children, only 156 of 250 peripheral IVs were placed on the first attempt. Vascular access specialists and ultrasound guidance were linked with higher first-attempt success among final successful inserters.
• RNNarrative Review2025Language-specific approaches to reduce perioperative stress and anxiety related to anaesthesia for patients with limited English proficiency: A narrative review.Journal of perioperative practiceFor patients with limited English proficiency, perioperative anxiety appears linked to not understanding anaesthesia information. Native-language education, reliable interpreters and culturally adapted materials may help, but no method is proven to reduce anaesthesia stress.
• RNMeta-Analysis2026Association of polypharmacy and perioperative outcomes: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of perioperative practiceSurgical patients taking five or more medicines were more likely to have postoperative delirium, die within 30 days, or be discharged to another care facility. They were not more likely to be admitted to ICU.
• RNCohort2025Enhancing Adverse Event Reporting With Clinical Language Models: Inpatient Falls.Journal of advanced nursingFine-tuned BERT models and GPT-4 with tailored prompts could detect inpatient falls from nursing notes, and note review found 30% to 91% more unreported falls.
• RNCohort2025Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Care at Australian Emergency Departments: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study.Journal of advanced nursingIn Australian EDs, PIVC care showed low patient partnership, frequent antecubital fossa use and incomplete documentation: 2.9% discussed risks and benefits, 81.2% used the antecubital fossa, and only 3.3% had removal documented.
• RNSurvey2026Antibiotic Usage Patterns of Community-Dwelling Adults in Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of advanced nursingPatients' antibiotic use behaviour was good on average, but 54.5% had inadequate medicine literacy and 13.3% thought antibiotics could stop once symptoms improved. Patient literacy, awareness, care process, nurse experience and diarrhoea prescribing were linked to behaviour.
• RNOther2026Investigation of Pressure Injuries With Visual ChatGPT Integration: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of advanced nursingVisual ChatGPT staged pressure injuries less accurately than expert nurses overall, especially unstageable and deep tissue injuries. Adding wound details helped slightly, but the tool did not match nurse assessment.
• RNCohort2026The Impact of Nursing Resources on Chronic Wound Management: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.Journal of clinical nursingBetter nurse work environments and higher RN proportion were associated with lower in-hospital mortality and shorter stays in 34,113 Medicare patients with chronic wounds. BSN composition findings were mixed.
• RNCohort2025Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index and In-Hospital Mortality and Costs in Older Inpatients With and Without Cancer: A Retrospective Observational Study.Journal of clinical nursingOlder inpatients with major nutritional risk had higher estimated in-hospital mortality and costs, especially cancer patients. GNRI may help nurses flag high-risk admissions, but this observational study cannot show screening improved outcomes.
• RNOther2025Differentiating Therapeutic Responses That Reduce Restrictive Practice Use and Situational Aggression in an Acute Mental Health Unit.Journal of clinical nursingIn an acute mental health unit, stand-alone verbal de-escalation was associated with lower seclusion, lower restraint and reduced situational aggression. Adding distraction, sensory modulation, environment change or individualised staff time did not show benefit.
• RNPilot2025Segregation and Recycling in the Operating Room. An Intervention to Accelerate the Decarbonisation Process in the Health Sector.Journal of clinical nursingSegregating clean paper and plastic during surgery cut the operating room's weekly carbon footprint from 534.6 to 79.1 kg CO2 eq. Staff reported the process did not slow their work pace, though they doubted colleagues' consistency.
• RNSystematic Review2026Patients' Experiences of Day Surgery: A Qualitative Systematic Review.Journal of advanced nursingPatients described day surgery as minor and quick, then felt unprepared and reluctant to call for help when pain, fatigue and emotional distress made home recovery harder than expected.
• RNOther2026Delirium in the Acute Care Setting From the Families Perspective: A Scoping Review.Journal of advanced nursingFamilies of delirious patients feel unprepared and distressed because they rarely understand what is happening. They want clear information and a role in care but are often left in the dark. Nurses should proactively explain delirium symptoms and invite family participation.
• RNSystematic Review2026Nurse Practitioner-Sensitive Outcome Measures in Older Person Care: A Scoping Review.Journal of advanced nursingNurse practitioner-sensitive outcomes for older adults are not measured consistently. The review found varied outcome measures across included studies, so it cannot show what nursing care changed.
• RNOther2025Development of A Surgery-Related Pressure Injury Risk Assessment Scale (SURPIRAS): A Methodological Study.Journal of clinical nursingA new 13-item surgery pressure-injury score flagged high risk at scores above 27. In 200 Turkish elective surgical patients, it identified 97.56% of those who later developed pressure injury and 97.48% of those who did not. It is not proof using it prevents pressure injury.
• RNRCT2025Impact of Routine Postoperative Care Versus Nurse-Led Lifestyle Interventions on Patient Outcomes After Radiofrequency Ablation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingAfter radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation, patients receiving a nurse-led lifestyle intervention added to usual care reported better quality of life and less AF recurrence at 12 months, and had fewer postprocedure complications.
• RNCohort2025A Point Prevalence Study of Need and Provision of Palliative Care in Adult and Medical Surgical Inpatients.Journal of clinical nursingAcross 865 adult public hospital inpatients, 38% had palliative care indicators, and 70% of those had no evidence of receiving any palliative care.
• RNCohort2026Sex and Racial/Ethnic Differences in End-of-Life Care in Texan Medicare Colorectal Cancer Decedents.The American journal of hospice & palliative careIn the last 30 days of life, female colorectal cancer decedents used hospice more and ICU care less than males. Non-Hispanic Black decedents had more emergency, ICU, and inpatient care and less hospice. Billed advance care planning was rare.
• RNRCT2026A Neonatal Nurse-Controlled Model of Analgesia to Manage Post-Operative Pain in the Surgical Neonate: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial.Journal of advanced nursingNurse-controlled neonatal analgesia was feasible in parts but not fully: staff found pathways useful but hard to follow, pain scoring often missed, and recruitment fell short. The pilot did not establish whether this model reduces infant pain or improves recovery.
• RNQualitative2026Patient Participation in Acute Surgical Wound Care: A Descriptive Qualitative Study.Journal of advanced nursingPatients recovering from surgery described wound care as harder than expected, especially when pain, drains, conflicting advice or dismissive staff overwhelmed them. Clear, consistent teaching and family support helped them regain confidence and manage wounds at home.
• RNMeta-Analysis2026Infrared Devices Versus Traditional Palpation Approach for Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Insertion in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of advanced nursingIn adults needing IV access, infrared vein devices did not improve first-attempt insertion success: 42% versus 38% with palpation. Pain was 0.43 points higher on a 0 to 10 scale. Evidence is low.
• RNSystematic Review2026Self-Care Activities of Community-Residing Adults With Indwelling Urinary Catheters: A Scoping Review.Journal of advanced nursingCommunity adults with long-term indwelling urinary catheters do most daily catheter care themselves, but little patient-facing guidance covers what to do when complications arise. Nurses should teach monitoring and when to call for help.
• RNCohort2026Predictive Performance of Device-Neonatal Skin Risk Assessment Scale to Evaluating Pressure Injuries Risk in the Neonates. An Observational Multicenter Study.Journal of clinical nursingIn 137 NICU neonates, 9 developed pressure injuries, mostly from devices. A device-adjusted score ≤11 in the first 24 hours predicted injuries better than Glamorgan.
• RNOther2025Assessment of Surgical Site Infection Prevention Strategies in Obstetric Nursing Practice: A Retrospective Analysis.Journal of nursing care qualityCesarean patients cared for by nurses trained in a comprehensive prevention package had fewer infections (3.0% vs 10.0%), less pain on days 1 and 2, fewer complications, and better wound healing than standard care.
• RNOther2026Multiprofessional Family Care for Women With Gynaecological Cancer.Journal of advanced nursingFamily care for women with gynaecological cancer is incidental rather than systematic. Professionals rarely identify relatives or involve them in care. Nurses rated their interaction skills higher than physicians did, but observation showed few family-focused discussions occurred.
• RNSurvey2026Beyond the Ratios: Evidence for Optimal Minimum Nurse-Patient-Ratios in Medical-Surgical Settings.Journal of advanced nursingNurse-reported quality and safety outcomes deteriorated when assigned more than four patients per shift. This supports a 1:4 nurse-to-patient ratio in medical-surgical settings, though the data is from 2015 and relies on self-reports rather than patient records.
• RNCohort2026Incidence and Characteristics of Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries in Acute Palliative Care Patients: A Four-Year Analysis.Journal of clinical nursingIn a palliative care unit, 78 of 1976 acute-phase admissions developed hospital-acquired pressure injuries over four years. Higher symptom severity was reported as a predictor, while palliative care phase alone was not.
• RNMeta-Analysis2025Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Interventions for Perioperative Anxiety in Adults: A Systemic Review With Meta-Analysis.Journal of clinical nursingThe combined analysis did not show a significant reduction in preoperative anxiety with virtual reality. Individual studies often reported lower anxiety and higher satisfaction, but findings were inconsistent.
• RNOther2025Seclusion Rates and Workplace Violence on a Psychiatric Emergency Department Unit.Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses AssociationAfter adding violence screening, patient-specified agitation factors, de-escalation preferences, handoff communication, staff training, and post-incident debriefs on a psychiatric emergency unit, seclusion hours fell from 5.56 to 3.73 per 1,000 length-of-stay hours, and workplace violence reports fell from four to three.
• RNSystematic Review2026Effectiveness of Organisational Strategies for Pressure Injury Prevention and Treatment in Acute Hospital Settings: A Systematic Review.Journal of advanced nursingOrganisational bundles combining education, audit and feedback, and leadership support reduced pressure injury incidence in three of seven studies, though overall evidence was inconclusive. The specific mix of strategies needed for success remains unclear, and results varied widely across acute hospital settings.
• PTRNCohort2025Predicting Post-ICU Functional Impairment During Early ICU Admission Using Real-world Electronic Health Record Data.Clinical nursing researchLower AMPAC, older age, reduced nurse-documented mobility, lower Braden, and prior walking device in the first 24 hours predicted functional impairment at discharge in adults with ICU sepsis.
• RNQualitative2026How Classmates Experience Visiting Their Hospitalised Peer During Cancer Treatment: A RESPECT Study.Journal of advanced nursingClassmates visiting hospitalised peers felt excited and motivated to support them, but needed nurse briefings and adult backup to handle uncertainty, hospital rules and the child’s changing condition.
• RNOther2026Regular Medications Administered to Older Adults in Aged Care Facilities: A Retrospective Descriptive Study.Journal of clinical nursingIn Australian aged care, 78% of older adults were administered five or more regular medications daily. Paracetamol and laxatives were most administered, and quetiapine was given to 6%. This shows medication burden, not whether these medicines should be stopped.