Acute coronary syndrome: assessment and management

Abstract

Acute coronary syndrome is a serious condition that requires urgent assessment and management. This article outlines the nature of the condition, and discusses its underlying pathophysiology. It discusses three types of acute coronary syndrome: unstable angina, ST elevation myocardial infarction and non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. Research and guidelines are used to guide the reader through approaches to initial nursing assessment and the immediate management of patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome.

Graduating nursing students' competence in nursing patients with acute coronary syndrome

“…Nurses play a significant role in guiding the treatment (WHO, 2020). Thus, everyone who graduates as a nurse in the EU should be able to act correctly when encountering a patient with ACS in any nursing context (Norton, 2017;Weeks et al, 2017). Lakanmaa et al (2014) got similar results when assessing basic competence in intensive and critical care nursing; graduating nursing students' self-assessed competence was good while their basic knowledge based on knowledge test was poor (Lakanmaa et al, 2014).…”

“…CVDs cover a wide range of medical problems affecting the circulatory system, but their most common manifestations are cerebrovascular disorders and ischemic heart disease (WHO, 2021). Ischemic heart disease, on the other hand, often manifests itself as an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), which is always a life-threatening condition for the patient (Norton, 2017). A nurse is usually the first healthcare professional to encounter a patient with symptoms caused by ACS (Norton, 2017;Weeks et al, 2017).…”

“…Ischemic heart disease, on the other hand, often manifests itself as an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), which is always a life-threatening condition for the patient (Norton, 2017). A nurse is usually the first healthcare professional to encounter a patient with symptoms caused by ACS (Norton, 2017;Weeks et al, 2017). Nurses' appointments and the tasks assigned to them to compensate for the shortage of medical staff mean that the assessment and initial treatment of a patient with ACS may be carried out solely as a nurse's independent work without support from colleagues or medical staff (Roche et al, 2017).…”

“…Nurses' appointments and the tasks assigned to them to compensate for the shortage of medical staff mean that the assessment and initial treatment of a patient with ACS may be carried out solely as a nurse's independent work without support from colleagues or medical staff (Roche et al, 2017). Based on a rapid and effective initial assessment by a nurse, the initiation of treatment for a patient with ACS is more effective, which may prevent myocardial injury and reduce mortality associated with acute cardiac events (Norton, 2017;Weeks et al, 2017). In EU area, the Directives (2005/36/EC, 2013/55/EU) guide the nursing education, its minimum length (three years; 4,600 hours), the content of theoretical education, and the duration of compulsory clinical practicums, which is at least half of the minimum duration of the education (2,300 hours).…”

“…These competence requirements for general nurses include the need to "independently initiate life-preserving immediate measuresˮ (EC, 2013). Thus, everyone who graduates as a nurse in the EU area should be able to act correctly when encountering a patient with ACS in any context of nursing (Norton, 2017;Weeks et al, 2017). Implementation of nursing care for a patient with ACS is based on strong knowledge (Chow et al, 2017).…”