Key result
Chest pain unit nurses play a unique role across triage, diagnosis, treatment, observation, discharge, and follow-up to promote evidence-based practice and improve quality of care.
This review highlights the critical role of nurses in chest pain units across the continuum of patient care to improve quality and promote evidence-based practice.
Recognizing nurses' roles may enhance chest pain unit care; leaves open prospective trials to confirm outcome benefits.
The chest pain unit (CPU) provides a service for patients at moderate-to-low risk for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Although the number of CPUs has continued to grow worldwide, little has been written on the specific role and contribution of nursing in CPUs. The stay of patients in the CPU can be divided into six stages: triage, diagnosis, treatment, observation/monitoring, discharge, and follow-up. CPU nurses are in a unique position to promote evidence-based practice during all of these stages. Deeper insight into the unique role of nurses in CPUs will promote understanding of what type of knowledge, skills, and attitudes are required to provide the services that will contribute to improved quality of care for chest pain patients.
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Siebens et al. (2007) conducted a review in Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) / chest pain. Nursing care in chest pain units was evaluated. Chest pain unit nurses play a unique role across triage, diagnosis, treatment, observation, discharge, and follow-up to promote evidence-based practice and improve quality of care.
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