Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40490885›Full record

SynthesisJournal of clinical nursing2025

Inclusion of Informal Carers in the Care of Older Adults in the Emergency Department: An Integrative Review.

Belinda Nichols, Christina Aggar, Ya-Ling Huang

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of clinical nursing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Belinda NicholsFaculty of Health Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0009-0001-5224-2402
Christina AggarFaculty of Health Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-0137-7796
Ya-Ling HuangFaculty of Health Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-6156-4721

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimTo review primary research reporting the inclusion of informal carers in caring for older people in the emergency department.

designAn integrative review employing Whittemore and Knafl's updated integrative review methodology.

methodsA systematic search was undertaken between November 2023 and September 2024. Ten articles met the inclusion criteria of primary research reporting the inclusion of carers in the care of older adults in the emergency department. Exclusion criteria included studies conducted outside of the emergency department, not carer-related, and those not restricted to carers of older adults. The Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used to assess the quality of the articles. DATA SOURCES: Medline @ Ovid, EBSCO, Wiley Online Library, Cochrane, EMBASE and SCOPUS.

resultsThematic analysis produced two reoccurring themes: Carers as advocates and Carers as outsiders. Through sharing of information and support of the older adult, carers can act as advocates. Restrictive admission policies, exclusion from decision-making processes, and failure to be heard by the healthcare professional resulted in carers feeling like outsiders.

conclusionIncluding carers is essential to support the care of vulnerable older adults in the emergency department. Care partnerships between healthcare professionals and carers can be enhanced with education on effective and respectful communication processes and support of carer well-being. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: This review highlights the essential nature of care partnerships involving informal carers in the emergency department for providing high-quality care to older adults with complex care needs. An appropriate carer inclusion programme could support emergency department clinicians, carers and older adults. REPORTING

methodThe PRISMA 2020 checklist was used to ensure adherence to review processes. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Indexed as

CaregiversEmergency Service, HospitalAgedAged, 80 and overHumanscare partnershipscarersemergency departmentfamily carersinformal carersolder adultsunpaid carers

Identifiers

PMID40490885
PMCPMC12489445

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.