Study Considers the Needs of Cardiac Arrest Patients’ Families in ED

Journal of Emergency Nursing also includes articles on neonatal triage, mental health presentations

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (Nov. 6, 2023) – When a patient, regardless of age, experiences cardiac arrest, often the entire family is impacted and involved in care.

Featured in the November issue of the Journal of Emergency Nursing, a new study – “What Are the Care Needs of Families Experiencing Sudden Cardiac Arrest? A Survivor- and Family-Performed Systematic Review, Qualitative Meta-synthesis, and Clinical Practice Recommendations” – explores the ways emergency nurses can support families and their involvement in cardiac arrest patient care.

As more cardiac arrest care systems are created to address the needs of patients, family members and survivors, the study’s authors sought to review existing research to help clarify the roles emergency nurses play in prearrest, intra-arrest and post-arrest periods for the family of cardiac arrest patients.

“I lost a family member to a sudden cardiac arrest event. This study provides crucial information for emergency nurses about the family experience,” said Anna Valdez, PhD, RN, PHN, CEN, CFRN, CNE, FAEN, FAADN, editor-in-chief of JEN. “This study was an exploration into the role the emergency nurse can play so that families receive emotional support and are supported in their care and planning for their loved ones, or in how they proceed when the patient does not survive.”

The Journal of Emergency Nursing, ENA’s peer-reviewed academic journal, is published six times a year with original research and updates from the emergency nursing specialty, while also covering practice and professional issues.

The November issue can be found online here. Other topics covered include emergency department mental health patient presentations, neonatal triage, ultrasound guided peripheral IV insertion training, and aromatherapy for pain reduction.