A newly established pediatric high dependency unit in Norway - Interaction with existing pediatric intensive care

• Main Authors: Jenny Marie Hilden (Author), Thomas Rajka (Author), Jenny Dalseg (Author), Anne Lee Solevåg (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Elsevier, 2021-09-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

Background: In October 2018, our university hospital opened a 2-bed pediatric high dependency unit. We report interactions between this new unit and existing pediatric intensive care. Methods: We included patients who met the requirements for extended monitoring and treatment in a retrospective review of ward admissions 29.10.18-28.10.19. Results: 271 children with 354 ward admissions ('episodes') with extended monitoring and treatment were admitted to the pediatric high dependency unit (77%), the general pediatric ward, neonatal and adult intensive care, post-operative, and adult high dependency units. Frequent diagnoses were bronchiolitis, epilepsy, pneumonia, diabetic ketoacidosis and therapeutic drug overdose. In 37% of the episodes, non-invasive ventilation was provided. Median (interquartile range) age was 2.2 (0.3-14.2) years and 40% was <1 year. Median length of stay was 29 (15-74) hours and the average bed occupancy in the pediatric high dependency unit 1.6. Conclusion: Our results indicate that equipment and staff training should focus on children <1 year of age in need for non-invasive ventilation. There is a potential for more children needing extended monitoring and treatment to be cared for at the pediatric high dependency unit instead of the neonatal and adult intensive care units.

Item Description

2667-0097
10.1016/j.gpeds.2021.100002