An exploration of intensive care nurses' perceptions of workload in providing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support: A descriptive qualitative study.

Aust Crit Care

Department of Intensive Care, Alfred Health, Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia; Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre (ANZIC-RC), School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, 3004, VIC, Australia. Electronic address:

Published: July 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • A study was conducted to explore the workload perceptions of intensive care nurses caring for patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in a high-volume ECMO center in Australia.* -
  • Utilizing qualitative interviews with 30 ECMO-trained nurses, three main themes were identified: opportunities for professional growth, the importance of knowledge and responsibilities, and the impact of systems on nurses' workload.* -
  • The findings highlight the need for advanced clinical skills among ECMO nurses, emphasizing their motivation for skill acquisition and the necessity for a well-trained nursing workforce to manage critically ill patients effectively.*

Article Abstract

Background: There is increasing use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in intensive care, where nurses provide the majority of the required ongoing care of cannulas, circuit, and console. Limited evidence currently exists that details nursing perspectives, experiences, and challenges with workload in the provision of ECMO care.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate intensive care nurses' perceptions of workload in providing specialist ECMO therapy and care in a high-volume ECMO centre.

Methods: The study used a qualitative descriptive methodology through semistructured interviews. Data were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach following Braun and Clarke's iterative process. This study was conducted in an intensive care unit within an Australian public, quaternary, university-affiliated hospital, which provides specialist state-wide service for ECMO.

Findings: Thirty ECMO-specialist trained intensive care nurses were interviewed. This study identified three key themes: (i) opportunity; (ii) knowledge and responsibilities; and (iii) systems and structures impacting on intensive care nurses' workload in providing ECMO supportive therapy.

Conclusions: Intensive care nurses require advanced clinical and critical thinking skills. Intensive care nurses are motivated and engaged to learn and acquire ECMO skills and competency as part of their ongoing professional development. Providing bedside ECMO management requires constant monitoring and surveillance from nurses to care for the one of the most critically unwell patient populations in the intensive care unit setting. As such, ECMO nursing services require a suitably trained and educated workforce of intensive care trained nurses. ECMO services provide clinical development opportunities for nurses, increase their scope of practice, and create advanced practice-specialist roles.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aucc.2023.12.002DOI Listing

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