Impact of an Emergency Advanced Practice Nurse on Complications After Home Discharge of Oxygen-Dependent Patients Managed in the Emergency Department: A Quantitative and Qualitative Study

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, discharging patients home on low-flow oxygen therapy has proven to be a safe and effective alternative to hospitalization, helping to relieve overcrowded hospitals while ensuring continuity of care. At the investigating emergency department, a dedicated care pathway ("Oxy-Urg") already allows selected oxygen-dependent patients to return home with a home-care provider, regardless of the cause of their breathlessness, once their condition is stable. This study evaluates whether managing these patients with a team combining an emergency advanced practice nurse (APN) and an emergency physician, rather than a physician alone, improves the organization of care and reduces complications after home discharge. Adult oxygen-dependent patients eligible for the Oxy-Urg pathway are randomly assigned (1:1) to management by an APN-physician team (intervention group) or by a physician alone (control group). Both groups then receive the usual Oxy-Urg pathway (home oxygen therapy, provider tele-monitoring, community nurse and general practitioner follow-up). The main goal is to compare the number of organizational adverse events occurring between inclusion and Day 28 between the two groups. The study also assesses clinical deterioration after discharge, the time professionals spend setting up the pathway, and, through interviews and a focus group, the experience of patients and professionals. The hypothesis is that the APN-physician team allows a more efficient organization and improves the patient experience, supporting the sustainability and wider use of this pathway.