A quantitative retrospective bibliometric analysis of the evidence underpinning current emergency care, 1966-2025

Bibliometric analysis (BA) is the quantitative analysis of evidence. BAs measure and map research activity by examining publication trends in geographic distribution, journals, authors, institutions, keywords, citations, and collaboration networks. This BA mapped the multidisciplinary evidence informing emergency care (EC). This BA therefore includes the nursing discipline.

A retrospective quantitative BA of EC evidence was completed using validated methods. Data were sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov and Clarivate Web of Science. VOSviewer and Microsoft Excel enabled analysis.

Since 1966, n = 172,714 publications across EC disciplines have been indexed, with n = 76,017 (44%) published since 2016. Annually, an average of n = 2831 publications emerge (R² = 0.702), with the United States, Germany, and England making the greatest contributions. Annals of Emergency Medicine was the leading journal. The top 1% most-cited publications (n = 92) had a mean citation rate of 291. Original articles accounted for 63.9% (n = 110,501) of publications. Analysis of 137 emergent keywords revealed that management, mortality, care, survival, and outcomes were dominant research themes. As of November 27, 2025, n = 1164 clinical trials were in progress, mostly North American (n = 575; 49.3%), being focused on drug trials (n = 310; 26.6%).

This BA provides a comprehensive map of the EC multidisciplinary evidence since 1966. Despite substantial growth, investment is needed in EC-focused research, evidence synthesis, and global research capacity. Ongoing BA can inform EC nursing research priorities, funding, and knowledge translation, providing a strategic roadmap to strengthen nursing leadership, education, and translation of evidence into EC practice.