Abstract
Pediatric nurses and physicians are rarely exposed to life-threatening events. Understanding the needs of clinicians is key for designing continuing training programs. A survey exploring preparedness to manage life-threatening events as well as training needs was mailed to all clinically active nurses and physicians at a tertiary-level referral children’s hospital. Overall, 469 participants out of 871 answered the questionnaire (54% response rate). Respondents felt well or very well (nurses 93%, physicians 74%) prepared to recognize a deteriorating child and rated their theoretical understanding (70% well or very well prepared) of how to manage life-threatening situations significantly higher (p < 0.0001) than their cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) preparedness (52% well or very well prepared). Both perceived theoretical understanding (p < 0.0001) and CPR preparedness (p < 0.002) were rated higher among nurses than physicians. Arrhythmias, shock, cardiac arrest and airway management constitute main areas of perceived training need. In conclusion, although a majority of pediatric nurses and physicians felt sufficiently trained to recognize a deteriorating child, their perceived ability to actively manage life-threatening events was inferior to their theoretical understanding of how to resuscitate a child. A high degree of institutional confidence and identification of areas of training need provide a good foundation for customizing future continuing education programs.
Highlights
Pediatric healthcare providers’ routine in dealing with acute care situations is limited to infrequent exposures, as life-threatening events are rare in pediatrics [1,2,3]
Emergency preparedness among pediatric healthcare professionals has sadly been described as unsatisfactory [6]
Nurses most frequently reported the need to practice caring for a child presenting with shock (50% of respondent nurses) or cardiac arrest (50%), arrhythmias (45%), requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation (44%) or mask ventilation (43%)
Summary
Pediatric healthcare providers’ routine in dealing with acute care situations is limited to infrequent exposures, as life-threatening events are rare in pediatrics [1,2,3]. Pediatric hospitalists need to be trained to competently face these emergencies [3,4]. Recurring training in acute care management is recommended as part of primary and continuing nursing education [5]. Emergency preparedness among pediatric healthcare professionals has sadly been described as unsatisfactory [6]. In an effort to explore self-perceived acute care readiness and training needs among nurses and physicians, a survey among clinically active staff of a tertiary-level university children’s hospital was performed
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