Nursing Surge Capacity Strategies for Management of Critically Ill Adults with COVID-19

Background: There is a vital need to develop strategies to improve nursing surge capacity for caring of patients with coronavirus (COVID-19) in critical care settings. COVID-19 has spread rapidly, affecting thousands of patients and hundreds of territories. Hospitals, through anticipation and planning, can serve patients and staff by developing strategies to cope with the complications that a surge of COVID-19 places on the provision of adequate intensive care unit (ICU) nursing staff—both in numbers and in training. Aims: The aim is to provide an evidence-based starting point from which to build expanding staffing models dealing with these additional demands. Design/Method: In order to address and develop nursing surge capacity strategies, a five-member expert panel was formed. Multiple questions directed towards nursing surge capacity strategies were posed by the assembled expert panel. Literature review was conducted through accessing various databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Central, and EMBASE. All studies were appraised by at least two reviewers independently using the Joanna Briggs Institute JBI Critical Appraisal Tools. Results: The expert panel has issued strategies and recommendation statements. These proposals, supported by evidence-based resources in regard to nursing staff augmentation strategies, have had prior success when implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The proposed guidelines are intended to provide a basis for the provision of best practice nursing care during times of diminished intensive care unit (ICU) nursing staff capacity and resources due to a surge in critically ill patients. The recommendations and strategies issued are intended to specifically support critical care nurses incorporating COVID-19 patients. As new knowledge evidence becomes available, updates can be issued and strategies, guidelines and/or policies revised. Relevance to Clinical Practice: Through discussion and condensing research, healthcare professionals can create a starting point from which to synergistically develop strategies to combat crises that a pandemic like COVID-19 produces.