Same-Day Discharge After Atrial Fibrillation Ablation. A Scoping Review of Nurse-Led Care Model

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia with a rising global incidence. Advances in ablation techniques have led to same-day discharge (SDD) protocols, reducing hospital resource use. However, managing patients post-ablation is crucial to avoid complications. This scoping review evaluates the role of nurse-led interventions in managing patients undergoing AF ablation with SDD, focusing on patient safety, outcomes, and healthcare efficiency.

A review was conducted across databases like MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar in April 2024. Studies were included if they reported on nurse-led management during hospitalization or post-ablation follow-up in adult patients.

Ten clinical studies involving 4776 patients were reviewed. The studies showed that nurse-led interventions effectively support SDD protocols, ensuring patient safety and improving outcomes. Interventions varied, including hotlines, follow-up calls, and autonomous discharge decisions by nursing staff. Overall complication rates for SDD ranged from 0% to 18%, with most studies reporting ≤ 1.6%. Minor complications occurred in up to 3.5% of day cases, re-hospitalization rates reached 2.1%, and unplanned overnight admissions for minor events were up to 7.3%. These rates were generally comparable to, or lower than, those for overnight stay (ONS) procedures.

Nurse-led models facilitated early complication detection, enhanced patient education, and improved follow-up care. The reported complication rates for SDD were low and comparable to ONS, supporting its safety, feasibility, and potential to reduce healthcare resource use. Further research should standardize protocols and assess their long-term impact.