Nursing Strategies for Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome in Hospital Settings: An Integrative Review

Abstract

Acute coronary syndrome is a life-threatening condition associated with morbidity, mortality, reduced quality of life, and hospital readmission. Nursing care for patients with acute coronary syndrome in hospital settings requires comprehensive strategies that address acute care, discharge preparation, and continuity of care after hospitalization. This integrative review aimed to synthesize evidence on nursing strategies for patients with acute coronary syndrome in hospital settings. The review was conducted following Whittemore and Knafl’s integrative review framework and applied PRISMA principles to enhance transparency in the search, screening, and study selection processes. Research articles published between May 2017 and May 2026 were searched from CINAHL, MEDLINE Complete, Academic Search Ultimate, PsycINFO, and PubMed. The methodological quality of the included studies was appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool version 2018. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. Five major themes emerged from the synthesis: 1) individualized education to improve disease awareness, warning-symptom recognition, and treatment-seeking decisions; 2) psychological and emotional support; 3) promotion of self-management and medication adherence; 4) discharge planning and linkage to cardiac rehabilitation; and 5) integration of technology and collaborative care to support continuity of care. The findings indicate that nurses play a central role in providing holistic and patient-centered care, including assessing patient needs, delivering health education, providing psychological support, strengthening self-care ability, coordinating care, and using technology to support post-discharge follow-up. The synthesized evidence can guide the development of continuous, safe, and effective nursing practice for patients with acute coronary syndrome in hospital settings.