Five children with fulminant myocarditis rescued with awake veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Nursing care included waking up the patient prior to ECMO cannulation, continuous monitoring of patient condition during ECMO course, pain relief, early mobilization, humanistic care, etc. Four children were successfully weaned from ECMO after 50-163 h and transferred to the general ward for further rehabilitation, whereas the other one developed ventricular tachycardia at 72 h after initiation of ECMO and received mechanical ventilation again. Adverse events (i.e.,dislocation of cannulas or extubation) and complications related to ECMO therapy were not observed.