Key result
Systematic assessment and appropriate ECG use optimize chest pain triage by primary care nurses.
Why the study?
Primary care clinicians frequently encounter patients with chest pain stemming from a wide range of factors, from benign musculoskeletal issues to life-threatening cardiac conditions.
This review provides an overview of chest pain assessment, triage, and referral for primary care nurses, emphasizing early detection of warning signs.
Warrants inclusion in primary care nurse training curricula; reinforces evidence for structured chest pain assessment and triage.
Primary care clinicians are likely to encounter patients experiencing chest pain. This could be caused by a wide range of factors, less serious musculoskeletal issues and life-threatening heart problems. This article provides an overview of chest pain assessment, triage and onward referral for primary care nurses, discussing cardiac conditions such as acute coronary syndrome, angina and aortic dissection, as well as non-cardiac causes of chest pain. A systematic method of physical assessment and investigation is described, including the benefits and limitations of electrocardiogram use in primary care. The article emphasises that early detection of warning signs and an individualised approach to care are essential for managing chest pain in primary care settings.
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Collins et al. (2026) studied this question. Systematic physical assessment, appropriate ECG use, and early detection of warning signs are essential for primary care nurses to effectively triage and manage patients with chest pain.
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