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Effectiveness of nurse-initiated X-ray for emergency department patients with distal limb injuries: a systematic review

journal contribution
posted on 2019-10-01, 00:00 authored by Julie ConsidineJulie Considine, Ramon Z Shaban, Kate Curtis, Margaret Fry
The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature on the effectiveness of nurse-initiated X-ray for emergency department patients with distal limb injuries. The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO and CINHAL, MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for studies comparing nurse-initiated vs physician-initiated X-ray. Because of heterogeneity of patients, providers and outcomes, a meta-analysis was not performed. The 16 included studies were conducted between 1971 and 2018 and involved 8881 participants. There were four randomised trials and 12 observational studies that focussed on X-ray request accuracy (n = 14), emergency department processes (n = 6) and patient outcomes (n = 2). The quality of evidence for each outcome ranged from very low-to-moderate. Compared with physician-initiated X-ray, nurse-initiated X-ray uses no more resources, is safe and acceptable to patients. Nurse-initiated X-ray did not reduce time to X-ray or waiting time but in some studies, reduced emergency department length of stay and unplanned follow-up.

History

Journal

European journal of emergency medicine

Volume

26

Pagination

314-322

Location

LOndon, Eng.

ISSN

0969-9546

eISSN

1473-5695

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2019, Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

Issue

5

Publisher

Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins