Nursing care of critically ill patients with intra-aortic balloon pumps: a scoping review

The number of indications for intra-aortic balloon pumps has increased and now includes patients with a variety of conditions requiring critical care. Nurses play a key role in the care of these patients, so this scoping review aimed to identify and describe the various aspects of this role. A total of 10 articles were included, highlighting the involvement of nursing care throughout the process, from preparation for insertion to weaning. Nurses are particularly instrumental in identifying and preventing complications, which involves monitoring the patient's haemodynamic, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal and vascular status, as well infection control measures. The extent and complexity of these nursing tasks highlights the importance of specialist training for nurses.