Expert consensus on the nursing management of critically ill elderly patients with coronavirus disease 2019

The novel coronavirus (2019‐nCoV) was first detected in patients with pneumonia of an unknown cause in Wuhan, China in December 2019. It has since been confirmed as the pathogen for the new coronavirus pneumonia, recently named “coronavirus disease 2019” (COVID‐19) by the World Health Organization. Although the general population is commonly susceptible to the disease, infected elderly people show fast progression and severe manifestations with a high proportion in critical condition as a result of compromised immunity and underlying diseases. In order to improve the quality of nursing, reduce complications, and decrease mortality of critically ill elderly patients, we assembled a national expert group with expertise in critical nursing to write this consensus, based on a literature review and a subsequent panel discussion. The consensus covers the assessment, clinical nursing, discharge care, and other aspects of care for critically ill elderly patients with COVID‐19, aiming to share insights and provide guidance for clinical practice.