A simple quality-of-care intervention targeting nurses for improving care of older patients in the emergency department: a Western European multicenter study
(2026) European Geriatric Medicine — (2026)
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- Abstract
- Key summary points Aim To use a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework to identify nurses' barriers in the care for older ED patients and to develop a specific intervention targeting these barriers. Findings Across eight western European ED settings, nurses identified time pressure, behavioral disorders, and communication difficulties as the main barriers to delivering optimal geriatric care. Through three iterative PDSA cycles, we developed and implemented a family-engagement poster that was well received. Yet, we found only a limited measurable impact on nurses' time use, likely due to the relatively small number of PDSA cycles completed to date. Message Our findings highlight the value of PDSA cycles for designing and adapting quality improvement interventions in geriatric emergency care, and underscore the need to actively engage all key stakeholders, including frontline nurses and caregiver representatives, as partners in these efforts. Abstract Purpose Emergency departments (EDs) face significant challenges in delivering high-quality care for older patients. Identifying barriers and developing stakeholder-informed interventions are essential to improve ED care. This study aimed to identify nurses' perceived barriers to caring for older ED patients and to develop and evaluate a targeted intervention to improve care quality. Christophe de Terwangne and Andreas M. Fischer are Co-first authors.
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Citations
de Terwangne, C., Fischer, A., Jónsdóttir, A., Mizera, B., Gagesch, M., Cuvelier, C., Gordon, A., Singler, K., & Brys, A. (2026). A simple quality-of-care intervention targeting nurses for improving care of older patients in the emergency department: a Western European multicenter study. European Geriatric Medicine. Published. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-026-01543-6 (Original work published 2026)