13 Evaluating Potential Overuse of Intravenous Hydration in Patients Hospitalized with Bronchiolitis

Abstract

Abstract Background Bronchiolitis is the primary cause of hospitalization in children during the first year of life. Respiratory support and hydration are the two pillars of management. Practice guidelines for bronchiolitis (NICE and CPS) recommend nasogastric (NG) hydration before intravenous (IV) fluids if oral hydration cannot be maintained. However, IV hydration remains the primary mode of hydration at our tertiary care pediatric centre. Objectives This is a resource stewardship project aiming to evaluate the baseline use of IV versus NG hydration in children 0-15 months hospitalized for bronchiolitis and requiring supplemental hydration. The secondary objective is to evaluate potential barriers to NG hydration for these children. Design/Methods Data was collected retrospectively for the 2017-2018 bronchiolitis season. A survey was sent to all the pediatric emergency (ED) physicians and nurses, pediatric hospitalists, ED fellows, pediatric residents and ward nurses. Results Among eligible patients (n=95), IV hydration was prescribed 52% of the time, compared to 48% NG hydration. Ninety-six percent (47/49) of IV hydration was initiated in the ED, while only 4% (2/49) was initiated on the ward. Among patients who began receiving hydration in the ED (80/95, or 84%), 41% (33/80) were hydrated via NG and 59% (47/80) by IV. In the survey, while 92% (57/62) of responding physicians claimed to be aware of national guidelines for bronchiolitis, only 67% (42/62) said that NG was the recommended mode of hydration. Among ED practitioners, 56% (19/34) were up-to-date on the recommendation. Two-thirds of all respondents (physicians and nurses) felt that NG hydration would be more acceptable to parents. Among nurses, 84% (38/45) felt that IV installation was a longer procedure to complete. Despite the existence of a local order set indicating NG hydration as the preferred hydration method, only 64% (40/62) of physicians were aware of its existence, and only 23% of these (9/40) actually use the guideline. Main reasons of disuse included forgetting the guideline exists and it not being easily available. In contrast, 93% of nurses were aware of the local guideline. Conclusion Intravenous hydration is overused among patients hospitalized with bronchiolitis at our centre, and the ED is the main setting where this occurs. There is a discrepancy between physicians’ theoretical knowledge of hydration guidelines and the application of these in reality. Barriers to the use of NG hydration can be amenable to a quality improvement (QI) intervention targeting improved knowledge and use of our local guideline, and this will be our focus going forward.