National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Adverse Drug Events (ADE) (1)
- Adverse Events (8)
- Antibiotics (3)
- Antimicrobial Stewardship (3)
- Brain Injury (1)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (2)
- Care Coordination (1)
- (-) Children/Adolescents (27)
- Communication (1)
- COVID-19 (1)
- (-) Critical Care (27)
- Diagnostic Safety and Quality (4)
- Education: Continuing Medical Education (2)
- Emergency Department (2)
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (1)
- Healthcare Delivery (2)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (1)
- Health Services Research (HSR) (1)
- Hospitalization (1)
- Hospitals (3)
- Injuries and Wounds (1)
- Inpatient Care (4)
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (20)
- Medical Errors (1)
- Medication (3)
- Mortality (2)
- Neurological Disorders (3)
- Newborns/Infants (1)
- Outcomes (5)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (3)
- Patient Safety (8)
- Quality Improvement (1)
- Quality of Care (2)
- Registries (4)
- Respiratory Conditions (3)
- Risk (2)
- Sepsis (1)
- Shared Decision Making (1)
- Simulation (1)
- Sleep Problems (1)
- Teams (2)
- Training (1)
- Transitions of Care (1)
- Trauma (2)
- Young Adults (1)
AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 25 of 27 Research Studies DisplayedLaverriere EK, Fiadjoe JE, McGowan N
A prospective observational study of video laryngoscopy-guided coaching in the pediatric intensive care unit.
The primary goal of this study was to evaluate whether implementation of video laryngoscopy-guided coaching for tracheal intubation in pediatric patients is feasible with a high level of compliance and associated with a reduction in adverse tracheal intubation-associated events. Findings showed that implementation of video laryngoscopy as a supervising device with standardized coaching language was feasible with a high level of adherence, yet was not associated with an increased occurrence of any adverse tracheal intubation-associated events and oxygen desaturation.
AHRQ-funded; HS024511; HS021583; HS022464.
Citation: Laverriere EK, Fiadjoe JE, McGowan N .
A prospective observational study of video laryngoscopy-guided coaching in the pediatric intensive care unit.
Paediatr Anaesth 2022 Sep;32(9):1015-23. doi: 10.1111/pan.14505..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Education: Continuing Medical Education
Ramesh S, Ayres B, Eyck PT
Impact of subspecialty consultations on diagnosis in the pediatric intensive care unit.
This retrospective study used chart reviews of critically ill children in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) to determine the impact of subspecialty consultations on diagnosis. The majority of patients (87 of 101) were provided subspecialty consultations at the request of the PICU clinician. The consultations were equally for diagnosis (65%) and treatment (66%). There was a change in diagnosis for 21% of patients with consultants from PICU admission to discharge, with 61% attributed to subspecialty input. Forty-five percent of patients with consultations had additional imaging and/or laboratory testing and 55% had a medication change and/or a procedure performed immediately after consultation.
AHRQ-funded; HS026965.
Citation: Ramesh S, Ayres B, Eyck PT .
Impact of subspecialty consultations on diagnosis in the pediatric intensive care unit.
Diagnosis 2022 Aug;9(3):379-84. doi: 10.1515/dx-2021-0137..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Woods-Hill CZ, Colantuoni EA, Koontz DW
Association of diagnostic stewardship for blood cultures in critically ill children with culture rates, antibiotic use, and patient outcomes: results of the Bright STAR Collaborative.
The purpose of this AHRQ-funded prospective study was to assess the relationship between a 14-site PICU blood culture collaborative, the Bright STAR (Testing Stewardship for Antibiotic Reduction) collaborative, and culture rates, antibiotic use, and patient outcomes. The researchers collected data from each participating PICU across the United States and from the Children’s Hospital Association Pediatric Health Information System. The main outcome was blood culture rates, with secondary outcomes including: broad-spectrum antibiotic use and PICU rates of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), Clostridioides difficile infection, readmission, length of stay, sepsis, severe sepsis/septic shock, and mortality. The study found that the blood culture rate preimplementation across the 14 PICUs was 149.4 per 1000 patient days per month, and the rate postimplementation was 100.5 for a 33% relative reduction postimplementation. For those same periods, the rate of antibiotic use decreased from 506 days per 1000 patient-days per month preimplementation to 440 days per 1000 patient-days per month postimplementation, which reflects a 13% relative reduction. Rates of CLABSI decreased from 1.8 to 1.1 per 1000 central venous line days per month, a 36% relative reduction. The variables of length of stay, readmission, sepsis, severe sepsis/septic shock, and mortality were similar before and after implementation. The researchers concluded that collaborative interventions can reduce blood culture and antibiotic use in the PICU.
AHRQ-funded; HS025642.
Citation: Woods-Hill CZ, Colantuoni EA, Koontz DW .
Association of diagnostic stewardship for blood cultures in critically ill children with culture rates, antibiotic use, and patient outcomes: results of the Bright STAR Collaborative.
JAMA Pediatr 2022 Jul;176(7):690-98. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.1024..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Sepsis, Critical Care, Antibiotics, Medication, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Antimicrobial Stewardship
Lindell RB, Fitzgerald JC, Rowan CM
The use and duration of preintubation respiratory support is associated with increased mortality in immunocompromised children with acute respiratory failure.
The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to examine the relationship between preintubation respiratory support and outcomes in pediatric patients with acute respiratory failure and to evaluate the impact of immunocompromised (IC) diagnoses on outcomes. The study utilized data from the Virtual Pediatric Systems database which included 82 centers, and focused on patients intubated in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) ranging in age from 1 month old to 17 years of age who received invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) for more than or equal to 24 hours. Of the 5,348 PICU intubations across 82 centers, high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) or noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV) or both were used before intubation in 34% (1,825) of patients. Fifty percent of the patients had no IC diagnosis. The researchers found that exposure to HFNC was associated with greater odds of PICU mortality when compared with patients intubated without prior support. When analyzing subgroups of IC status, preintubation support was related to higher odds of PICU mortality in IC patients and HCT patients when compared with IC/ HCT patients intubated without prior respiratory support. A duration of HFNC/NIPPV of more than 6 hours was associated with increased mortality in IC HCT patients. Rates of preintubation HFNC/NIPPV use and PICU mortality varied between the 82 centers. The researchers concluded that greater duration of exposure to HFNC/NIPPV prior to IMV is associated with increased mortality in HCT patients, and preintubation exposure to HFNC and/or NIPPV in IC pediatric patients is associated with increased odds of PICU mortality, independent of the severity of the illness.
AHRQ-funded; HS024511.
Citation: Lindell RB, Fitzgerald JC, Rowan CM .
The use and duration of preintubation respiratory support is associated with increased mortality in immunocompromised children with acute respiratory failure.
Crit Care Med 2022 Jul;50(7):1127-37. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000005535..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Respiratory Conditions, Mortality, Critical Care
Chiotos K, Fitzgerald JC, Hayes M
Improving vancomycin stewardship in critically ill children.
The purpose of this study was to describe a quality improvement intervention to reduce the use of vancomycin in a tertiary care Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Over a period of 3 years, the researchers conducted 3 quality improvement (QI) interventions including 1) stakeholder education, 2) development of a consensus-based guideline for empiric vancomycin use, and 3) implementation of the guideline through clinical decision support. The study found that of 1276 episodes of suspected bacterial infection, a total of 19 cases of bacteremia (1.5%) due to organisms requiring vancomycin therapy were identified, including 6 MRSA bacteremias. Over the 3-year period of the QI project, overall vancomycin DOT per 1000 patient days in the PICU decreased from a baseline mean of 182 DOT per 1000 patient days to 109 DOT per 1000 patient days (a 40% reduction). The study concluded that the intervention reduced overall vancomycin use in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit without evidence of harm.
AHRQ-funded; HS026393.
Citation: Chiotos K, Fitzgerald JC, Hayes M .
Improving vancomycin stewardship in critically ill children.
Pediatrics 2022 Apr;149(4):e2021052165. doi: 10.1542/peds.2021-052165..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Critical Care, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Antibiotics, Medication, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Capone CA, Emerson B, Sweberg T
Intubation practice and outcomes among pediatric emergency departments: a report from National Emergency Airway Registry for Children (NEAR4KIDS).
The purpose of this study was to describe Tracheal Intubation (TI) practice and outcomes in pediatric Emergency Departments as compared to those in intensive care units (ICUs) and use the resulting data to identify targets for quality improvement. The researchers analyzed consecutive TI encounters from pediatric EDs and ICUs in the National Emergency Airway Registry for Children (NEAR4KIDS) database from 2015 to 2018. The study found a total of 12,512 TIs in 51 pediatric/cardiac ICUs, and 756 TIs in 13 pediatric EDs and were reported. Proportion of TIs for shock (26% ED vs. 14% ICU), respiratory decompensation (52% vs. 64%), and neurologic deterioration (30% vs. 11%) also differed by location. Limited neck mobility was reported more often in the ED (16% vs. 6%). TIs in the ED were performed more often via video laryngoscopy (64% vs. 29%). Oxygen desaturation was less commonly reported in ED TIs (13.6%) than ICU TIs (17%). Among ED TIs, shock as an indication and limited mouth opening were independently associated with adverse TI-associated events (TIAEs). The study concluded that TI characteristics vary between pediatric EDs and ICUs, yet outcomes are similar.
AHRQ-funded; HS022464.
Citation: Capone CA, Emerson B, Sweberg T .
Intubation practice and outcomes among pediatric emergency departments: a report from National Emergency Airway Registry for Children (NEAR4KIDS).
Acad Emerg Med 2022 Apr;29(4):406-14. doi: 10.1111/acem.14431..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Registries, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Evidence-Based Practice, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Vivtcharenko VY, Ramesh S, Dukes K
Diagnosis documentation of critically ill children at admission to a PICU.
This study’s objective was to describe how pediatric critical care clinicians document patients' diagnoses at PICU admission. PICU admission notes for 96 unique patients were reviewed. Findings showed that most PICU admission notes documented a rationale for the primary diagnosis and expressed diagnostic uncertainty. Clinicians varied widely in how they organized diagnostic information, used contextual details to clarify the diagnosis, and expressed uncertainty. Recommendations included future work to determine how diagnosis narratives affect clinical decision-making, patient care, and outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS026965; HS022087.
Citation: Vivtcharenko VY, Ramesh S, Dukes K .
Diagnosis documentation of critically ill children at admission to a PICU.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2022 Feb;23(2):99-108. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002812..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Branca A, Tellez D, Berkenbosch J
The new trainee effect in tracheal intubation procedural safety across PICUs in North America: a report from National Emergency Airway Registry for Children.
Researchers evaluated the effect of the timing of the PICU fellow academic cycle on tracheal intubation-associated events in a retrospective cohort study of 37 PICUs participating in the National Emergency Airway Registry for Children.. They found that the New Trainee Effect in tracheal intubation safety outcomes was not observed in various types of PICUs. There was a significant improvement in pediatric critical care medicine fellows' first attempt success and a significant decline in tracheal intubation-associated event rates, indicating substantial skills acquisition throughout pediatric critical care medicine fellowship.
AHRQ-funded; HS021583; HS022464; HS024511.
Citation: Branca A, Tellez D, Berkenbosch J .
The new trainee effect in tracheal intubation procedural safety across PICUs in North America: a report from National Emergency Airway Registry for Children.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2020 Dec;21(12):1042-50. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002480..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Adverse Events, Patient Safety, Registries, Education: Continuing Medical Education, Training
Sosa T, Ferris S, Frese C
Comparing two proximal measures of unrecognized clinical deterioration in children.
Critical deterioration events (CDEs) and emergency transfers (ETs) are two proximal measures to cardiopulmonary arrest, and both aim to evaluate how systems recognize and respond to clinical deterioration in children. This retrospective observational study sought to (1) characterize CDEs and ETs by timing, overlap, and intervention category, and (2) evaluate the performance of the watcher identification system and the pediatric early warning score (PEWS) to identify patients who experience these events.
AHRQ-funded; HS023827.
Citation: Sosa T, Ferris S, Frese C .
Comparing two proximal measures of unrecognized clinical deterioration in children.
J Hosp Med 2020 Nov;15(11):673-76. doi: 10.12788/jhm.3515..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Cardiovascular Conditions, Critical Care, Inpatient Care
Emeriaud G, Napolitano N, Polikoff P
Impact of failure of noninvasive ventilation on the safety of pediatric tracheal intubation.
This prospective multicenter cohort study’s objective was to assess whether noninvasive ventilation failure in critically ill children was associated with severe tracheal intubation-associated events and severe oxygen desaturation during tracheal intubation. Data from the National Emergency Airway Registry for Children was used to examine data from thirteen PICUs (in 12 institutions) in the United States and Canada. The study included 956 tracheal intubation encounters, with 424 (44%) occurring after noninvasive ventilation failure with a median of 13 hours of noninvasive ventilation. The failure group included more infants (47% vs 33%) and patients with a respiratory diagnosis (56% vs 30%). Noninvasive ventilation failure was not associated with severe tracheal intubation-associated events without noninvasive ventilation but was associated with severe desaturation (15% vs 9%) without noninvasive ventilation.
AHRQ-funded; HS021583; HS022464; HS024511.
Citation: Emeriaud G, Napolitano N, Polikoff P .
Impact of failure of noninvasive ventilation on the safety of pediatric tracheal intubation.
Crit Care Med 2020 Oct;48(10):1503-12. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000004500..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Patient Safety, Adverse Events
Miller Miller AG, Napolitano N, Turner DA, Miller AG, Napolitano N, Turner DA Miller AG, Napolitano N, Turner DA, Miller AG, Napolitano N, Turner DA
Respiratory therapist intubation practice in pediatric ICUs: a multicenter registry study.
Tracheal intubation by respiratory therapists (RTs) is a well-established practice that has been described primarily in adult and neonatal patients. However, minimal data exist regarding RTs' intubation performance in pediatric ICUs. The purpose of this study was to describe the current landscape of intubations performed by RTs in pediatric ICUs. The investigators found that RTs infrequently intubated in pediatric ICUs, with success rates similar to other providers but higher adverse event rates. RTs were more likely to use video laryngoscopy than other providers.
AHRQ-funded; HS021583; HS022464; HS024511.
Citation: Miller Miller AG, Napolitano N, Turner DA, Miller AG, Napolitano N, Turner DA Miller AG, Napolitano N, Turner DA, Miller AG, Napolitano N, Turner DA .
Respiratory therapist intubation practice in pediatric ICUs: a multicenter registry study.
Respir Care 2020 Oct;65(10):1534-40. doi: 10.4187/respcare.07667..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Respiratory Conditions, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Registries, Critical Care
Daigle CH, Fiadjoe JE, Laverriere EK
Difficult bag-mask ventilation in critically ill children is independently associated with adverse events.
This study looked at the epidemiology, risk factors, and clinical implications of difficult bag-mask ventilation among critically ill children. The prevalence and risk factors are described as well as its association with adverse tracheal intubation-associated events and oxygen desaturation in PICU patients. This retrospective review used observational data collected from a multicenter tracheal intubation database (National Emergency Airway Registry for Children) from January 2013 to December 2018 from 46 international PICUs. Difficult bag-mask ventilation was reported in 9.5% of 15,810 patients undergoing tracheal intubation with bag-mask ventilation. Difficult bag-mask ventilation was more commonly reported with increasing age, those with a primary respiratory diagnosis/indication for tracheal intubation, presence of difficulty airway features, more experienced provider level, and tracheal intubations without use of neuromuscular blockade. Specific intubation-associated or oxygen desaturation events occurred in 40.2% of patients with reported difficult bag-mask ventilation versus 19.8% in patients without difficult bag-mask ventilation.
AHRQ-funded; HS021583; HS022464; HS024511.
Citation: Daigle CH, Fiadjoe JE, Laverriere EK .
Difficult bag-mask ventilation in critically ill children is independently associated with adverse events.
Crit Care Med 2020 Sep;48(9):e744-e52. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000004425..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Adverse Events, Risk
Morgan RW, Kienzle M, Sen AI
Pediatric resuscitation practices during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
This multi-institutional survey asked U.S. pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) on practices regarding inpatient resuscitation practices during the 2019 coronavirus pandemic. Out of 130 institutions surveyed, 60% responded. Forty-eight centers had admitted pediatric coronavirus disease patients, with 33% reporting code team activation for patients with suspected/confirmed coronavirus disease. Eighty-six percent of respondents had implemented changes to inpatient emergency response systems, including: limited number of personnel entering patient rooms, limited resident involvement, and new or refined team roles. Most institutions are using enhanced personal protective equipment (PPE) and 23% have PPE policies dependent on the performance of aerosol generating procedures. Most institutions do not have policies regarding limitations of resuscitation efforts in coronavirus disease pediatric patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS026975.
Citation: Morgan RW, Kienzle M, Sen AI .
Pediatric resuscitation practices during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2020 Sep;21(9):e651-e60. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002512..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, COVID-19, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care
Rozenfeld RA, Nannicelli AP, Brown AR
Verbal communication during airway management and emergent endotracheal intubation: observations of team behavior among multi-institutional pediatric intensive care unit in situ simulations.
The objective of this study was to assess health-care teams' verbal communication, an observable teamwork behavior, during simulations involving pediatric emergency airway management and intubation. The investigators found that no uniform statement was identified to declare an airway emergency among the care teams. Preintubation medication dosages were not consistently included in intubation medication orders, and frequently, there were multiple requests to obtain medications.
AHRQ-funded; HS017909.
Citation: Rozenfeld RA, Nannicelli AP, Brown AR .
Verbal communication during airway management and emergent endotracheal intubation: observations of team behavior among multi-institutional pediatric intensive care unit in situ simulations.
J Patient Saf 2020 Sep;16(3):e114-e19. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000000272..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Teams, Communication, Simulation
Hartman ME, Williams CN, Hall TA
Post-intensive-care syndrome for the pediatric neurologist.
The investigators are working to create awareness and help mitigate post-intensive-care syndrome in pediatric patients who had experienced primary neurological injury and also help their parents and siblings. In this paper they review current knowledge regarding post-intensive-care syndrome in pediatrics and its risk factors. They describe their experience establishing Pediatric Neurocritical Care Recovery Programs at two large academic centers. They also provide a battery of validated tests to identify and manage the different aspects of post-intensive-care syndrome in pediatrics.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Hartman ME, Williams CN, Hall TA .
Post-intensive-care syndrome for the pediatric neurologist.
Pediatr Neurol 2020 Jul;108:47-53. doi: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2020.02.003..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Neurological Disorders, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Risk
Conway JA, Kharayat P, Sanders RC
Ketamine use for tracheal intubation in critically ill children is associated with a lower occurrence of adverse hemodynamic events.
Tracheal intubation in critically ill children with shock poses a risk of hemodynamic compromise. Ketamine has been considered the drug of choice for induction in these patients, but limited data exist. In this study, the authors investigated whether the administration of ketamine for tracheal intubation in critically ill children with or without shock was associated with fewer adverse hemodynamic events compared with other induction agents. They also investigated if there was a dose dependence for any association between ketamine use and adverse hemodynamic events.
AHRQ-funded; HS021583; HS022464; HS024511.
Citation: Conway JA, Kharayat P, Sanders RC .
Ketamine use for tracheal intubation in critically ill children is associated with a lower occurrence of adverse hemodynamic events.
Crit Care Med 2020 Jun;48(6):e489-e97. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000004314..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Medication
Cifra CL, Ten Eyck P, Dawson JD
Factors associated with diagnostic error on admission to a PICU: a pilot study.
This pilot retrospective cohort study examined errors in pediatric ICUs (PICUs) for children during the first 12 hours after PICU admission. A structured tool (Safer Dx) was used to identify diagnostic error in an academic tertiary institution. Out of 50 patients, 4 (8%) had diagnostic errors. The errors were in diagnoses of chronic ear infection, intracranial pressure (two cases), and Bartonella encephalitis. This pilot study will be expanded into a larger and more definitive multicenter study.
AHRQ-funded; HS022087.
Citation: Cifra CL, Ten Eyck P, Dawson JD .
Factors associated with diagnostic error on admission to a PICU: a pilot study.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2020 May;21(5):e311-e15. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002257..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Medical Errors, Adverse Events, Patient Safety, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Hospitals
Balmaks R, Whitfill TM, Ziemele B
Pediatric readiness in the emergency department and its association with patient outcomes in critical care: a prospective cohort study.
The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of pediatric acute care and pediatric readiness and to determine their association with patient outcomes using a patient registry. Studying all Latvian Emergency Departments and the national PICU, researchers’ findings showed that a higher weighted pediatric readiness score was associated significantly with lower length of stay in both the PICU and hospital and lower 6-month mortality. Pediatric readiness in the emergency department was associated with patient outcomes in this population of pediatric patients transferred to the national PICU.
AHRQ-funded; HS020286.
Citation: Balmaks R, Whitfill TM, Ziemele B .
Pediatric readiness in the emergency department and its association with patient outcomes in critical care: a prospective cohort study.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2020 May;21(5):e213-e20. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002255..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Outcomes
Williams CN, Hartman ME, McEvoy CT
Sleep-wake disturbances after acquired brain injury in children surviving critical care.
Sleep-wake disturbances are underevaluated among children with acquired brain injury surviving critical care. In this prospective cohort study, the investigators aimed to quantify severity, phenotypes, and risk factors for sleep-wake disturbances. The investigators concluded that over half of children surviving critical care with acquired brain injury have sleep-wake disturbances. They indicated that many sleep-wake disturbances phenotypes were identified, but most children had disturbance in initiation and maintenance of sleep.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Williams CN, Hartman ME, McEvoy CT .
Sleep-wake disturbances after acquired brain injury in children surviving critical care.
Pediatr Neurol 2020 Feb;103:43-51. doi: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2019.08.010..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Brain Injury, Critical Care, Sleep Problems, Trauma, Injuries and Wounds, Neurological Disorders
Woods-Hill CZ, Koontz DW, King AF
Practices, perceptions, and attitudes in the evaluation of critically ill children for bacteremia: a national survey.
Sending blood cultures in children at low risk of bacteremia can contribute to a cascade of unnecessary antibiotic exposure, adverse effects, and increased costs. In this study, the investigators aimed to describe practice variation, clinician beliefs, and attitudes about blood culture testing in critically ill children. They concluded that there is variation in blood culture practices in the pediatric ICU. Fear and reflexive habits are common drivers of cultures. These practices may contribute to over-testing for bacteremia.
AHRQ-funded; HS025642.
Citation: Woods-Hill CZ, Koontz DW, King AF .
Practices, perceptions, and attitudes in the evaluation of critically ill children for bacteremia: a national survey.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2020 Jan;21(1):e23-e29. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002176..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Critical Care, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Antibiotics, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Patient Safety, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Shared Decision Making
Napolitano N, Laverriere EK, Craig N
Apneic oxygenation as a quality improvement intervention in an academic PICU.
The objective of this prospective pre/post observational study was to evaluate if the use of apneic oxygenation during tracheal intubation in children is feasible and would decrease the occurrence of oxygen desaturation. The investigators concluded that implementation of apneic oxygenation in PICU was feasible, and was associated with significant reduction in moderate and severe oxygen desaturation. They suggest that use of apneic oxygenation should be considered when intubating critically ill children.
AHRQ-funded; HS021583; HS022464; HS024511.
Citation: Napolitano N, Laverriere EK, Craig N .
Apneic oxygenation as a quality improvement intervention in an academic PICU.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2019 Dec;20(12):e531-e37. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002123..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Patient Safety, Adverse Events
Williams CN, Eriksson CO, Kirby A
Hospital mortality and functional outcomes in pediatric neurocritical care.
Pediatric neurocritical care (PNCC) outcomes research is scarce. In this study, the investigators aimed to expand knowledge about outcomes in PNCC by evaluating death and changes in Functional Status Scale (FSS) from baseline among PNCC diagnoses. The investigators concluded that PNCC patients had high rates of death and new disability at discharge, varying significantly between PNCC diagnoses. Multiple domains of disability were affected, underscoring the ongoing multidisciplinary health care needs of survivors.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Williams CN, Eriksson CO, Kirby A .
Hospital mortality and functional outcomes in pediatric neurocritical care.
Hosp Pediatr 2019 Dec;9(12):958-66. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2019-0173..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Newborns/Infants, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Neurological Disorders, Mortality, Hospitals, Inpatient Care, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Bahr N, Meckler G, Hansen M
Evaluating pediatric advanced life support in emergency medical services with a performance and safety scoring tool.
This study used simulation to evaluate Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) guideline performance in pediatric emergency medical service (EMS) care and to introduce this easy-to-use tool to score guideline compliance and patient safety. Standard pediatric resuscitation simulations with a child manikin were created. The manikin was presented as a choking 6-year-old with a complex medical history who is unconscious and apneic, with bradycardic pulse. Teams were expected to monitor vitals, initiate airway management and CPR, and establish vascular access and administer epinephrine based on PALS guidelines. The authors observed 34 EMS teams providing care in P-OHCA simulations. Teams were found to be proficient in assessing vitals, using correct-sized equipment, intubation, and confirmation of tube placement. The teams were delayed in initiating positive pressure ventilation (PPV) and chest compressions, with many teams (53%) deviating from guidelines in chest compression. Half the teams performed continuous compressions before establishing an advanced airway and one team did not perform compressions. Twenty teams also deviated from medication guidelines with 12 teams failing to administer epinephrine, six teams underdosing, and two teams overdosing by more than 20%.
AHRQ-funded; HS025590.
Citation: Bahr N, Meckler G, Hansen M .
Evaluating pediatric advanced life support in emergency medical services with a performance and safety scoring tool.
Am J Emerg Med 2021 Oct;48:301-06. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2021.06.061.
AHRQ-funded; HS025590..
AHRQ-funded; HS025590..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Critical Care, Cardiovascular Conditions
Wooldridge A, Carayon P, Hoonakker P
Complexity of the pediatric trauma care process: implications for multi-level awareness.
Trauma is the leading cause of disability and death in children and young adults in the US. While much is known about the medical aspects of inpatient pediatric trauma care, not much is known about the processes and roles involved in in-hospital care. Using human factors engineering (HFE) methods, the investigators combined interview, archival document and trauma registry data to describe how intra-hospital care transitions affect process and team complexity.
AHRQ-funded; HS023837.
Citation: Wooldridge A, Carayon P, Hoonakker P .
Complexity of the pediatric trauma care process: implications for multi-level awareness.
Cogn Technol Work 2019 Aug;21(3):397-416. doi: 10.1007/s10111-018-0520-0..
Keywords: Care Coordination, Children/Adolescents, Critical Care, Health Services Research (HSR), Healthcare Delivery, Inpatient Care, Patient Safety, Teams, Trauma, Young Adults
Hussain FS, Sosa T, Ambroggio L
Emergency transfers: an important predictor of adverse outcomes in hospitalized children.
This case-control study aimed to determine the predictive validity of an emergency transfer (ET) for outcomes in a free-standing children's hospital. Controls were matched in terms of age, hospital unit, and time of year. Patients who experienced an ET had a significantly higher likelihood of in-hospital mortality (22% vs 9%), longer ICU length of stay (4.9 vs 2.2 days), and longer posttransfer length of stay (26.4 vs 14.7 days) compared with controls (P < .03 for each).
AHRQ-funded; HS023827.
Citation: Hussain FS, Sosa T, Ambroggio L .
Emergency transfers: an important predictor of adverse outcomes in hospitalized children.
J Hosp Med 2019 Aug;14(8):482-85. doi: 10.12788/jhm.3219..
Keywords: Transitions of Care, Children/Adolescents, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Adverse Events, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Inpatient Care, Hospitalization, Hospitals, Healthcare Delivery