LAUSR

Same-day discharges after interventional and diagnostic radiological procedures occur in many health facilities. Evidence-based recovery protocols are essential to provide high-quality nursing care. The systemic review examines recovery protocols for three outpatient radiological procedures to look at variations in clinical practice. A systematic review of recovery protocols for liver biopsy, vertebroplasty, and peripheral angiography with titles and abstracts of articles were reviewed for relevance, followed by sourcing of the full text for relevant articles and data extraction. In total, 450 articles pertaining to liver biopsy, 930 articles pertaining to vertebroplasty, and 735 articles pertaining to peripheral angiography were identified; 17, 8, and 13 articles, respectively, were deemed relevant. For liver biopsy, there were 13 primary research articles with the remainder from secondary sources (i.e., protocols and guidelines). All vertebroplasty articles were secondary. There were 10 primary research articles for peripheral angiography. Overall, 13 of 38 articles were nursing authored. Marked variations in recovery management, particularly with timing of observations and mobility, were observed. In conclusion, there is varied practice with a limited evidence base to guide postprocedural recovery protocols for liver biopsy, vertebroplasty, and peripheral angiography. Evidence-based review of current practice to inform protocol refinement is recommended.