Comparison of perceptions regarding psychological support for patients and families at medical facilities based on experience as an emergency department nurse

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of nurses' years of experience in an emergency department on their perception of psychological support for patients and families upon arrival at a medical facility.A survey was conducted among 45 nurses working at 14 secondary emergency medical facilities in the A region.Responses were compared between two groups-those with 5 or more years of emergency department experience (n = 25) and those with less than 5 years (n = 20)-using the Mann-Whitney U test.The results showed that while the necessity of psychological support was recognized regardless of experience level, there were differences in the recognition.Nurses with 5 or more years of experience placed greater emphasis on communication methods with patients and a physical contact with family members (both p < 0.05).Conversely, nurses with less than 5 years of experience tended to prioritize patient support over family support (p < 0.05).This study suggests that the years of experience of emergency department nurses influence their recognition of psychological support for patients and families, indicating the need for psychological support education tailored to their experience level.