From door to recovery: a collaborative approach to the development of a post-cardiac arrest center

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest remains common and, despite advances in resuscitation practices, continues to carry a high mortality that may be influenced by several factors, including where a patient is cared for after the cardiac arrest. Implementing a post-cardiac arrest care guideline for survivors of out-of-hospital and in-hospital cardiac arrest involves a multidisciplinary approach with short-term and long-term strategies. Physician and nursing leaders must work in synergy to guide the implementation of an evidence-based plan of care. A collaborative approach was used at a hospital to develop processes, build consensus for protocols, and provide support to staff and teams. A joint approach has allowed the hospital to move from traditional silos of individual departmental care to a continuum of patient-focused management after cardiac arrest. This care coordination is initiated in the emergency department and follows the patient through to discharge.