Editor’s note: Of late I have spent an increasing amount of time searching for quality, accessible, nurse driven open access content. Two things have struck me: 1) there are a huge number of nursing blogs that have had no new content for 2-5 years; and 2) We are not advancing and discussing the evidence base of our profession in an online environment. Enter Wayne Varndell, Clinical Nurse Consultant at Prince of Wales Hospital Emergency Department, NSW Branch President for the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia, and Tweeter for @TheAENJ. For this post Wayne has put together a tasting plate of great open access journal articles from the AENJ over the past two years. If you like what you read be sure to check out the fully free February volumes from 2008-2015 here. I have absolutely zero conflict of interest to declare in relation to AENJ, I just think it is a great journal, with articles that are accessible and translatable for the shop floor critical care nurse. While open access journals are nothing new to the world, nursing has a stronger push culture in education as opposed to pull. Many nurses respond well to education materials placed at their fingertips as opposed to those that must be sought out. So hopefully with a broad range of topics in the included articles, some unknown-unknowns may be uncovered, curiosities piqued and an appetite for evidence ignited. Kudos to Professor Ramon Shaban and the editorial board of AENJ for supporting #FOANed. There is now a ‘FOANed Articles’ tab on the landing page guiding to free open access articles from a range of issues.
Spinal immobilisaton in pre-hospital and emergency care: A systematic review of the literature Natalie Hood, Julie Considine 18(3): 118-137
Spinal immobilisation has been a mainstay of trauma care for decades, yet there are no high-level studies assessing its efficacy in preventing further neurological injury. Routine application is questionable, and should be considered on a patient-by-patient basis.
Assessing, monitoring and managing continuous intravenous sedation for critically ill adult patients and implications for emergency nursing practice: A systematic literature review Wayne Varndell, Doug Elliott, Margaret Fry 18(2): 59-67
The assessment and management of sedation for critically ill intubated patients requires highly-complex skills, knowledge and expertise, yet is routinely undertaken by emergency nurses. No state or national models of education or training for this extended practice were identified; no research has addressed the safety and efficacy of continuous sedation of critically ill intubated patients in ED.
HIRAID: An evidence-informed emergency nursing assessment framework Belinda Munroe, Kate Curtis, Margaret Murphy, Luke Strachan, Thomas Buckley 18(2): 83-97
Emergency nurses must be highly skilled at performing accurate and comprehensive patient assessments, a structured systematic approach that is evidence-based, can enhance clinical performance, and improve patient care.
Turkish parents’ management of childhood fever: A cross-sectional survey using the PFMS-TR Nursan D. Cinar, İnsaf Altun, Sevin Altınkaynak, Anne Walsh 17(1): 3-10
Parent’s practices in managing their child’s fever can be enhanced, and trigger appropriate action
through the use of an 8-item Parents’ Fever Management Scale.
Patient characteristics and institutional factors associated with those who “did not wait” at a South East Queensland Emergency Department: Who are those who “did not wait” in ED? Nicola Melton, Marion Mitchell, Julia Crilly, Marie Cooke 17(1): 11-18
Patient’s who elect to leave the ED prior to completing care are a key concern for emergency clinicians. Understanding the characteristics of patients who leave, might enable strategies to be developed to mitigate the potential risk, and keep patients engaged.
The quality of life of flood survivors in Thailand, Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University Wanpen Waelveerakup 17(1): 19-22
The flood crisis of 2011 was a disaster of the highest order in Thailand and Nakhon Pathom Province; understanding its impact on survivors’ health and quality of life after returning to normal life is important in designing and delivery healthcare and aid.
Implications of the emergency department triage environment on triage practice for clients with a mental illness at triage in an Australian context Marc Broadbent, Lorna Moxham, Trudy Dwyer 17(1): 23-29
The architectural environment of triage, the first and continuing point of contact for consumers presenting to ED, impacts on mental health consumer’s behaviour, and limits the ability for emergency clinicians to assess and provide optimal care for this vulnerable cohort.
