Decisions to Transfer Nursing Home Residents to Emergency Departments: A Scoping Review of Contributing Factors and Staff Perspectives.

Objectives: Nursing home (NH) residents are a frail and vulnerable population often faced with iatrogenic effects of hospital stays when transferred to emergency departments for acute changes in health status. Avoidable or unnecessary transfers of care need to be identified and defined to prevent unintended harm. The aim of this scoping review was to identify characteristics of avoidable or unnecessary transitions of NH residents to emergency departments, and examine factors influencing decision-making by NH staff, residents, and their family members to transfer nursing home residents to emergency departments.