Grota T, Betihavas V, Burston A, Jacob E. Impact of nurse-surgeons on patient-centred outcomes: A systematic review.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING STUDIES ADVANCES 2022;
4:100086. [PMID:
38745634 PMCID:
PMC11080547 DOI:
10.1016/j.ijnsa.2022.100086]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Nurse-surgeons have been performing surgeries for decades. Yet, their impact on perioperative clinical outcomes has not been explored in detail.
Objective
To investigate the impact of nurse-surgeons on patient-centred outcomes.
Design
Systematic review.
Method
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flow diagram and checklist for systematic reviews were used as the screening and reporting guideline. CINAHL, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and PubMed databases were searched for articles that fit the review's eligibility criteria. A combination of Medical Subject Headings, keywords and filters for each database were used. Following screening and full text review, the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used for quality assessment and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations framework for certainty and confidence assessment. Narrative synthesis was used to report the findings due to the design heterogeneity of the included studies.
Results
Forty-eight (n = 48) patient-centred outcomes were identified from 25 included studies. These outcomes were grouped into four categories: patient satisfaction and experience; waiting list; perioperative complications; and quality of surgical care. Patient satisfaction and experience was rated high to very high in 16 studies; none reported patient dissatisfaction. Waiting lists improved in eight studies. Perioperative complications were none to very low in nine studies. Mortality rates in the nurse-surgeon group were better than the physician group in three studies. The quality of care in the performance of surgeries by nurse-surgeons was either similar or better than physicians in ten studies.
Conclusions
Nurse-surgeons performed safe, satisfactory, and high-quality surgeries with minimal perioperative complications similar to physicians. The use of nurse-surgeons has significantly reduced waiting lists regardless of surgical speciality. Policies around nurse-surgeon practice needs to be developed at national and international levels to streamline the delivery of much needed surgical services amidst the coronavirus pandemic in the areas of cancer diagnostic surgeries, emergency surgeries, minor surgeries, and remote and rural health.
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