Integrating Advanced Practice Nurses in Anesthesia to Tackle Gaps in Current Health Care: A Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Nursing
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• The aging population and specialist shortages challenge anesthetic care delivery.
• Advanced practice nurses (APNs) are not yet integrated into Swiss anesthesia, despite potential benefits.
• Current anesthetic care models face increasing demands and require innovative solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore existing gaps in anesthetic care within Switzerland.
• To assess the potential role of advanced practice nursing in anesthesia.
• To identify patient and provider perspectives on anesthetic care needs.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews.
• 46 participants interviewed: patients, nurse anesthetists, and anesthesiologists.
• Data analyzed using Mayring's summarizing content analysis.

Main Results:

• Patients highlighted needs for information, preparation, pain management, and addressing recurrent hospital stays.
• Nurse anesthetists identified gaps in making nursing care visible, interprofessional practice development, and pain therapy.
• Anesthesiologists noted challenges in anesthesia changes, treatment processes, and pain management.

Conclusions:

• Significant deficits exist in perioperative care, necessitating sustainable solutions.
• Integrating APNs in anesthesia can enhance patient-centered preoperative support and interprofessional development.
• APNs offer a promising strategy to improve the quality and sustainability of perioperative healthcare through clinical leadership in recovery and pain management.