European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
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Meta Analysis
Effectiveness of nurse-initiated X-ray for emergency department patients with distal limb injuries: a systematic review.
The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature on the effectiveness of nurse-initiated X-ray for emergency department patients with distal limb injuries. The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO and CINHAL, MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for studies comparing nurse-initiated vs physician-initiated X-ray. Because of heterogeneity of patients, providers and outcomes, a meta-analysis was not performed. ⋯ The quality of evidence for each outcome ranged from very low-to-moderate. Compared with physician-initiated X-ray, nurse-initiated X-ray uses no more resources, is safe and acceptable to patients. Nurse-initiated X-ray did not reduce time to X-ray or waiting time but in some studies, reduced emergency department length of stay and unplanned follow-up.