Pediatrics
-
Observational Study
Reducing catheter-associated urinary tract infections: a quality-improvement initiative.
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are among the most common health care-associated infections in the United States, yet little is known about the prevention and epidemiology of pediatric CAUTIs. ⋯ CAUTI is a common pediatric health care-associated infection. Implementation of a prevention bundle can significantly reduce CAUTI rates in children.
-
Pediatric palliative care has seen the adoption of several service provision models, yet there is minimal literature describing them. Canuck Place Children's Hospice (CPCH) is North America's first freestanding pediatric hospice. This study describes the characteristics of and services delivered to all children on the CPCH program from 1996 to 2010. ⋯ Diagnostic groups largely determine the nature and magnitude of services used, and our involvement with pediatric life-threatening conditions is increasing. Reviews of pediatric palliative programs can help evaluate the services needed by the population served.
-
Case Reports
Retrieval of endobronchial foreign bodies in children: involving the cardiac catheterization lab.
Endobronchial foreign body impaction is a common occurrence, especially in the pediatric population. Bronchoscopic techniques are the standard of care for their retrieval. However, the most distally located foreign bodies are often difficult to retrieve using these techniques. ⋯ There were no complications in either case. Thus, a collaboration of the pulmonology and interventional cardiology teams in the cardiac catheterization laboratory represents a safe and effective alternative to bronchoscopy in the management of distally placed endobronchial foreign bodies in children. Early recognition and intervention is imperative for the successful retrieval of an endobronchial foreign body.
-
Observational Study
Automated urinalysis and urine dipstick in the emergency evaluation of young febrile children.
The performance of automated flow cytometric urinalysis is not well described in pediatric urinary tract infection. We sought to determine the diagnostic performance of automated cell counts and emergency department point-of-care (POC) dipstick urinalyses in the evaluation of young febrile children. ⋯ Automated leukocyte and bacterial counts performed well in the diagnosis of urinary tract infection in these febrile pediatric patients, but POC dipstick may be an acceptable alternative in clinical settings that require rapid decision-making.
-
Competence in the chest tube insertion procedure is vital for practitioners who take care of critically ill infants. The use of animals for training is discouraged, and there are no realistic simulation models available for the neonatal chest tube insertion procedure. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of teaching the chest tube insertion procedure by using an easily constructed, nonanimal simulation model. ⋯ An educational intervention using an easily constructed and inexpensive chest tube insertion model is effective in improving knowledge, comfort, and skills in trainees. The model can be used repeatedly to maintain proficiency.