Children In Intensive Care Research Articles

Effectiveness and family experiences of interventions promoting partnerships between families and pediatric and neonatal intensive care units: a mixed methods systematic review.

The objective of this mixed methods review was to examine the effectiveness and family experiences of interventions promoting partnerships between families and the multidisciplinary health care team in pediatric and neonatal intensive care units. Hospitalization of infants and children in neonatal intensive care units and pediatric intensive care units has a significant effect on their families, including increased stress, anxiety, and depression. Available evidence syntheses focused on specific family-centered care, but not on partnership, which is another aspect that may improve families' outcomes and experiences. This review considered studies that focused on effectiveness or family experiences of interventions by health professionals in partnership with families of infants or children hospitalized in an intensive care unit. For the quantitative component of the review, the type of intervention was a partnership between the health care team and the family, and focused on outcomes of stress, anxiety, depression, quality of life, attachment, or satisfaction with family-centered care. For the qualitative component, the phenomenon of interest was family experiences of interventions that included collaboration and partnering with the health care team in the pediatric or neonatal intensive care unit. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies, published from 2000 to August 2022 in English or French, were eligible for inclusion. The JBI methodology for convergent segregated mixed methods systematic reviews was followed using the standardized JBI critical appraisal and data extraction tools. Ten databases were searched in December 2019 and again in August 2022. Study selection, critical appraisal, and data extraction were performed by 2 reviewers independently. Findings of quantitative studies were statistically pooled through meta-analysis and those that could not be pooled were reported narratively. Qualitative studies were pooled through meta-synthesis. This review included 6 qualitative and 42 quantitative studies. The methodological quality varied, and all studies were included regardless of methodological quality. Meta-analyses showed improvements in anxiety, satisfaction with family-centered care, and stress, yet no conclusive effects in attachment and depression. These results should be interpreted with caution due to high heterogeneity. Qualitative analysis resulted in 2 synthesized findings: "Interventions that incorporate partnerships between families and the health care team can improve the family's experience and capacity to care for the child" and "Having a child in intensive care can be an experience of significant impact for families." Integration of quantitative and qualitative evidence revealed some congruence between findings; however, the paucity of qualitative evidence minimized the depth of this integration. Partnership interventions can have a positive impact on parents of children in intensive care units, with improvements reported in stress, anxiety, and satisfaction with family-centered care. PROSPERO CRD42019137834. A Chinese-language version of the abstract of this review is available at http://links.lww.com/SRX/A50 . A French-language version of the abstract of this review is available at http://links.lww.com/SRX/A51 .

Parents’ experiences of losing their newborn child in intensive care

Parents’ experiences of losing their newborn child in intensive care

Antimicrobial resistance and virulence of carbapenem-resistant <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> strains isolated from children in intensive care and surgical units

Introduction. Infections associated with carbapenem-resistant (Carba-R) Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) are a serious public health problem because they lead to an increase in hospital stays, treatment costs, and an increase in patient morbidity and mortality.
 Aim to characterize antimicrobial resistance, virulence factors and genotypes of Carba-R KP strains isolated from patients in intensive care and surgical units.
 Materials and methods. In total, 455 KP strains that were resistant to meropenem and/or imipenem, or susceptible to meropenem and/or imipenem at increased exposure were collected in 20182020. For further analysis, total 90 KP strains isolated from clinically significant sites blood/сerebrospinal fluid/urine/lower respiratory tract/wounds/abdominal cavity of patients in intensive care and surgical units were selected. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined using the broth microdilution method. Carbapenemase genes were detected by real-time PCR. The virulence genes and K1/K2 capsular serotypes were determined by multiplex PCR. Sequence types (ST) were determined using multilocus sequence typing.
 Results. Most of the selected isolates (97%) were recognized as extensively drug-resistant pathogens, three isolates were classified as multidrug-resistant pathogens. The major determinant of carbapenem resistance was blaOXA-48-like (53%), blaNDM-group was detected in 13% strains, a combination of blaNDM-group and blaOXA-48-like genes was found in 31% isolates. Two isolates harbored blaKPC-group. Most of the isolates had the virulence genes entB (100%), mrkD (99%), and ybtS (78%). The iutA gene was found in 16% strains. Four isolates had kfu gene and four strains carried rmpA gene. The K2 capsule type was determined in 13% isolates. Four ST dominated in the studied population: ST395 (26%), ST2975 (19%), ST198 (12%) and ST307 (11%).
 Conclusion. Carba-R KP isolates had a high level of resistance not only to carbapenems, but also to antibiotics of other classes. Carbapenem resistance was mainly associated with OXA-48 carbapenemase. The entB, mrkD and ybtS genes were the main determinants of virulence. The epidemically successful clones CG395 and CG307 were the predominant genetic lines. Resistance to antimicrobials was combined with the presence of various virulence factors. The data obtained are important for the epidemiological surveillance of the spread of KP and have important clinical implications.

LESÃO POR PRESSÃO EM PACIENTES PEDIÁTRICOS: FATORES CAUSAIS E CONDUTA TERAPÊUTICA

ABSTRACT Objective: to trace the sociodemographic and clinical profile, causal factors, and therapeutic management provided to children with pressure ulcers during hospitalization. Method: cross-sectional study; retrospective. Sample of 64 medical records of children with PU, admitted to a hospital in southern Brazil, from January/2016 to July/2021. Data analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Profile of children in intensive care (62.5%); stage 1 pressure ulcers (35.9%); and use of simple cover (37.5%). Of the total cases, 25% by medical device use. Consultations were related to stage 3 injury (p=0.027). Nursing diagnosis risk of pressure ulcer was identified in 48.4% of cases, while the Braden/Braden Q scale was identified in 78.1%. Patients classified as high risk (46%) had limited mobility (p=0.000). Conclusions: Pressure ulcers in children in intensive care with limited mobility require everything from simple intervention to consulting according to the classification of the injury.

Pragmatic Randomized Trial of Corticosteroids and Inhaled Epinephrine for Bronchiolitis in Children in Intensive Care

Pragmatic Randomized Trial of Corticosteroids and Inhaled Epinephrine for Bronchiolitis in Children in Intensive Care

COVID-19 History Increases the Anxiety of Mothers with Children in Intensive Care during the Pandemic in Turkey.

This study aimed to examine the mental status of mothers whose children were hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in places where risk factors are higher such as pediatric intensive care units, and to contribute to the development of psychological health policies, especially for these high-risk groups in epidemic situations. Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2021 and July 2021. The population of the study was mothers whose children were hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit during the study period. Data collection was carried out via a face-to-face interview method by experienced nurses working in pediatric clinics using a sociodemographic data form, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Fear of COVID-19 Inventory, and the Coronavirus Anxiety Inventory. Results: The median age of the participants was 33 (min: 21, max: 50). The Beck Anxiety score was affected by the child’s diagnosis, location, and history of COVID-19 (* P = 0.011, ** P = 0.018, and *** P = 0.002, respectively). Similarly, the Beck Depression score was affected by the child’s diagnosis and history of COVID-19 in a relative (* P = 0.034 and ** P = 0.037, respectively). The Coronavirus Anxiety score was affected by a history of COVID-19 in a relative and work status (* P = 0.040 and ** P = 0.005, respectively), while the Fear of COVID-19 score was not significantly affected by any variable. In a logistic regression model, previous COVID-19 experience was independently associated with anxiety; a history of COVID-19 increased the risk of developing anxiety by approximately 15 times (odds ratio: 14.915, 95% CI: 2.075–107.192). Conclusion: When children of mothers with a history of COVID-19 are hospitalized, special attention should be given to their mothers concerning psychological support and assistance.

Genetics follow up after rapid genomic sequencing in intensive care: current practices and recommendations for service delivery.

The delivery of rapid genomic sequencing (rGS) to critically unwell children in intensive care occurs at a time of immense pressure and stress for parents. Contact with families after result disclosure, particularly after hospital discharge, presents an opportunity to meet their psychological, medical and information needs as they evolve. This study explores the preferences and perspectives of health professionals and parents of genetics follow up after rGS. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 parents, seven genetic counsellors (GCs) and four intensive care physicians with experience in rGS. Transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Current practices surrounding genetics follow up after rGS were highly variable, resulting in some families not receiving the ongoing care they needed. Reasons identified by families for wanting follow-up care represented only a subset of those identified by health professionals. While GCs routinely provided their details to allow parents to initiate further contact, this was not always sufficient for follow-up care. Health professionals identified both organisational and psychosocial barriers to conducting follow up. As rGS transforms the diagnostic pathway in rare disease, there is a need for a co-designed, standardised but flexible model for follow-up care with genetics professionals so that families' evolving needs are met.

Prednisone and Nebulized Epinephrine for Severe Bronchiolitis

Prednisone and Nebulized Epinephrine for Severe Bronchiolitis

The effects of short bouts of ergometric exercise for severely burned children in intensive care: A randomized controlled trial

Objective To determine the effects of short bouts of ergometric exercises on the number of days in the burn intensive care unit (ICU), body mass, and functional ambulation. Design Multi-center, randomized controlled trial. Setting Burn intensive care unit. Participants Children ages 7–17 with severe burns covering over 30% total body surface area (TBSA). Intervention All patients received standard of care (Control) with the experimental group receiving additional exercise with a cycle ergometer (Exercise). Main measures The number of days in the ICU, total weight, lean body mass (LBM), and functional ambulation were taken shortly after randomization and again within one week of the scheduled hospital discharge. Results of outcomes are expressed as median ± interquartile range (IQR), unless otherwise noted (e.g. demographics). Results Fifty-four severely burned children (n = 18 Control, n = 36 Exercise) were included. The average ± standard deviation for age was 12 ± 3 years and TBSA was 48 ± 16%. The median ± IQR ICU days for Control was 46 ± 51 days vs 31 ± 29 days for Exercise. The median total weight loss for Control was 2.2 ± 1.2 kg vs 1.8 ± 1.4 kg in Exercise. Control lost 0.75 ± 0.8 kg of LBM vs 0.46 ± 0.43 kg in Exercise. Both groups showed significant improvement in functional ambulation (p < 0.01). However, exercise did not add additional benefits. Conclusion Short bouts of ergometric exercises are feasible for severely burned patients while receiving care in the ICU but did not add additional benefits.

Pragmatic Randomized Trial of Corticosteroids and Inhaled Epinephrine for Bronchiolitis in Children in Intensive Care

To determine whether the combination of systemic corticosteroids and nebulized epinephrine, compared with standard care, reduces the duration of positive pressure support in children with bronchiolitis admitted to intensive care. We performed a pragmatic, multicenter, open-label, randomized trial between July 2013 and November 2019 in children younger than 18months old with a clinical diagnosis of bronchiolitis. The intervention group received the equivalent of 13mg/kg prednisolone over 3days, then 1mg/kg daily for 3days, plus 0.05mL/kg of nebulized 1% epinephrine made up to 6ml with 0.9% saline via jet nebulizer and mask using oxygen at 12l/min every 30minutes for 5 doses, then 1-4 hourly for 3days, then as required for 3days. The primary outcome was clinician-managed duration of positive pressure support in intensive care defined as high-flow nasal-prong oxygen, nasopharyngeal continuous positive airway pressure, or mechanical ventilation. In total, 210 children received positive pressure support. In the corticosteroid-epinephrine group, 107 children received positive pressure support for a geometric mean of 26 (95% CI, 22-32) hours compared with 40 (95% CI 34-47) hours in 103 controls, adjusted ratio 0.66 (95% CI 0.51-0.84), P=.001. In the intervention group, 41 (38%) children experienced at least 1 adverse event, compared with 39 (38%) in the control group. In children with severe bronchiolitis, the duration of clinician-managed pressure support was reduced by regular treatment with systemic corticosteroids and inhaled epinephrine compared with standard care. Australian Clinical Trials Research Network: ACTRN12613000316707.

Effectiveness of Evidence-Based Guidelines on Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection Rate among Pediatric Intensive Care Children

Effectiveness of Evidence-Based Guidelines on Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection Rate among Pediatric Intensive Care Children

Effectiveness of Evidence-Based Guidelines on Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection Rate among Pediatric Intensive Care Children

Effectiveness of Evidence-Based Guidelines on Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection Rate among Pediatric Intensive Care Children

Association Between Hyponatremia and Maintenance Intravenous Solutions in Critically Ill Children: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Objetive: We sought to determine the association between maintenance intravenous solutions and the presence of hyponatremia in children in pediatric intensive care (PICU).Materials and Methods: An analytical observational study in children hospitalized in the PICU between January 2015 and December 2018. Patients who received maintenance fluids within the first 48 h after admission and who had at least two serum sodium levels drawn during this time were included.Measurements and Main Results: A total of 1,668 patients were admitted to the PICU during the study period, 503 of whom met the inclusion criteria. The median age was 24 months (IQR 8–96) and 50.9% were female. Altogether, 24.1% of the children developed hyponatremia; it was more frequent in those who received hypotonic solutions (63 vs. 37%; OR 1.41 95% CI 0.92, 2.15 p = 0.106), who also had a longer hospital stay (20 vs. 14 days, difference in means 8 days, 95% CI 2.67, 13.3, p = 0.001). Children who received loop diuretics and those who were post-operative had a greater risk of developing hyponatremia if they received hypotonic solutions (aOR 2.1 95% CI 1.41, 3.0, p = 0.000). Those with balanced isotonic solutions had a lower risk of developing hyponatremia (aOR 0.59 95% CI 0.35, 0.99, p = 0.004) and hyperchloremia (aOR 0.51 95% CI 0.34, 0.77, p = 0.000), adjusted for disease severity. A greater risk of death was found in the group with severe hyponatremia <130 mEq/L (aOR 9.75 95% CI 1.64–58.15; p = 0.01).Conclusions: Hyponatremia associated with the use of hypotonic maintenance solutions occurs in one out of four children in intensive care. The use of these solutions is associated with a longer hospital stay, and the main risk groups are post-operative patients and those who receive loop diuretics. Clinical studies are needed to determine which maintenance solutions have the greatest efficacy and safety in critically ill children.

Objective Sleep Characteristics and Factors Associated With Sleep Duration and Waking During Pediatric Hospitalization

Children's sleep may be affected by hospitalization, yet few objective determinations of sleep patterns are reported for children in intensive care or general medicine units. There is limited research on relationships between sleep in hospital and child (eg, age, pain), treatment (eg, medications, nurse presence), or environmental (eg, noise, light, type of unit) factors. To determine sleep quantity and patterns in hospitalized children and determine factors associated with sleep quantity and nighttime waking for children in hospital. This was a prospective cross-sectional study of children admitted to a general pediatric unit or a pediatric intensive care unit at a pediatric quaternary teaching hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, from October 2007 to July 2008. Participants included children aged 1 to 18 years who were expected to stay in hospital for at least 2 nights. Demographic data, information about the hospital stay and illness, and usual sleep habits were collected. Children wore an actigraph for 1 to 3 consecutive days and nights and completed a sleep diary. Sound and light meters were placed at the bedside. Data analyses took place in April 2009. The primary outcome was the mean number of minutes of child nighttime sleep from 7:30 pm to 7:29 am. Sleep variables were averaged over days and nights recorded (mean [SD] days and nights of wear, 2.54 [0.71]) and examined for associations with sleep quantity and patterns, as well as hazard of waking in the night. Of 124 eligible children approached for inclusion, 69 children consented (35 [51%] female; 20 [29%] aged 1-3 years, 10 [14%] aged 4-7 years, 17 [24%] aged 8-12 years, and 22 [32%] aged 13-18 years; 58 [84%] in the general pediatric unit). Children aged 1 to 3, 4 to 7, 8 to 12, and 13 to 18 years obtained a mean (SD) of 444 (132), 475 (86), 436 (114), and 384 (83) minutes of nighttime sleep, respectively; mean (SD) number of night awakenings was 14 (3), 18 (3), 14 (8), and 12 (6), respectively. Children on general pediatric units slept 258 minutes more per night than children sleeping in the pediatric intensive care unit (95% CI, 165.16-350.56 minutes; P < .001), children admitted for planned surgery slept 123 minutes more than children admitted for exacerbations of chronic illness (95% CI, 49.23-196.01 minutes; P < .01), and children sleeping in rooms with other patients slept 141 minutes fewer than children in private rooms (95% CI, -253.51 to -28.35 minutes; P = .01). Sound events greater than 80 dB were significantly associated with increased risk of instantaneous waking (hazard ratio [HR], 1.35; 95% CI, 1.02-1.80; P = .04), as were light events greater than 150 lux (HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.01-1.36; P = .03), receiving a medication that promoted sleep (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00-1.08; P = .03), and having a nurse in the room for most or all of the night (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.03-1.13; P = .003). Sleeping on the general pediatrics unit was significantly associated with decreased risk of instantaneous waking (HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.77-0.85; P < .001), as was being admitted for planned surgery (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-0.99; P = .04), receiving a medication that promoted wakefulness (HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93-0.995; P = .02), and sharing a room with another patient (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.72-0.84; P < .001). In this cross-sectional study of hospitalized children, children experienced considerable nighttime waking and sleep restriction to levels below national clinical recommendations at a time when they most needed the benefits of sleep. Given light and noise were the greatest contributors to nighttime waking in hospital, clinicians, administrators and hospital design experts should work together for solutions.

Short-Acting Sedative-Analgesic Drugs Protect Against Development of Ventilator-Associated Events in Children: Secondary Analysis of the EUVAE Study.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention proposed a shift in its surveillance paradigm from ventilator-associated pneumonia to ventilator-associated events (VAE) to broaden the focus of prevention and achieve a greater impact on outcomes. The main objective of the present study was to identify factors associated with pediatric VAEs in children undergoing mechanical ventilation ≥ 48 h. This was a secondary analysis of a pediatric cohort of a multicenter prospective study. Children who underwent mechanical ventilation ≥ 48 h were included. Exclusion criteria were previous ventilation, extracorporeal life support, and right-to-left shunt or pulmonary hypertension. In the subjects with multiple episodes of mechanical ventilation, only the first episode was considered. Remifentanil and propofol are classified as short-acting sedative and analgesic agents. Pediatric VAE is defined as an "increase in PEEP ≥ 2 cm of H2O, an increase in [Formula: see text] of 0.20, or an increase in [Formula: see text] of 0.15 plus an increase in PEEP ≥ 1 cm of H2O sustained for ≥1 d. Associations with pediatric VAE were estimated through multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis. Hazard ratios and 95% CI were computed. In a cohort of 90 children, 24 pediatric VAEs were documented in 906 ventilator-days. Pediatric VAEs developed after a median of 4.5 (interquartile range, 4-7.25) d. Surgical admissions, spontaneous breathing trials, early mobility, vasopressors, red blood cell units transfusion, type of sedation (continuous vs intermittent), benzodiazepine use for >3 d, and pharmacologic paralysis were not associated with pediatric VAE, whereas the use of continuous short-acting sedative-analgesic agents was identified as a strong protective factor against pediatric VAE (hazard ratio 0.06 [95% CI 0.007-0.5]). Treatment with short-acting sedative-analgesic agents should be preferred for sedation of mechanically ventilated children in intensive care.

Severe Potential Drug-Drug Interactions and the Increased Length of Stay of Children in Intensive Care Unit.

Children are exposed to drug-drug interactions (DDI) risks due to their organism’s complexity and the need for several medicines prescriptions in pediatric intensive care units (PICU). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of potential DDIs in a Brazilian PICU. We carried out a cross-sectional study at a pediatric teaching hospital from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) over one year. Potential DDIs (pDDIs) between prescribed medicines for hospitalized children in PICU (n = 143) were analyzed according to severity using Micromedex®. Sex, age group, number of drugs prescribed, vasoactive amines use (a proxy of clinical complexity), and the PICU length of stay were summarized using descriptive statistics. Association between the PICU length stay, and variables sex, age, clinical condition complexity, number of drugs prescribed, and severity of pDDI were examined by univariate and multiple linear regression. Seventy percent of patients aged three days to 14 years old were exposed at least one potential DDIs during PICU stay. Two hundred eighty-four different types of pDDIs were identified, occurring 1,123 times. Nervous system drugs were implicated in 55% of the interactions, and fentanyl (10%) was most involving in pDDIs. Most pDDIs were classified as higher severity (56.2%), with reasonable documentation (64.6%) and unspecified onset time (63.8%). Worse clinical condition, ten or more drugs prescribed, and most severe pDDIs were associated with a longer PICU length of stay. Multiple linear regression analysis showed an increase of 9.83 days (95% confidence interval: 3.61–16.05; p = 0.002) in the PICU length of stay in children with major or contraindicated pDDIs. The results of this research may support the monitoring and prevention of pDDIs related to adverse events in children in intensive care and the design and conduction of new studies.

Prophylactic acid suppressants in children in the intensive care unit: a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.

Critically ill children are at risk of stress-induced gastrointestinal ulceration. Acid suppressants are frequently used in intensive care units even though there is uncertainty about the benefits and harms. With this systematic review, we aimed to assess patient-important benefits and harms of stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) in children in intensive care. We conducted the review according to the PRISMA statement, the Cochrane Handbook, and GRADE, using conventional meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA). We included randomised clinical trials comparing SUP with histamine-2-receptor antagonists or proton pump inhibitors vs placebo/no prophylaxis in children admitted for intensive care. Primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and overt gastrointestinal bleeding. Secondary outcomes were serious adverse events, hospital-acquired pneumonia, Clostridium difficile enteritis, myocardial ischemia, acute kidney injury and quality of life. We included a total of seven trials (n=504) with eight trial comparisons. We found no statistically significant difference in all-cause mortality (relative risk (RR) 1.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86-2.37), overt gastrointestinal bleeding (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.42-1.35) or hospital-acquired pneumonia (RR 1.18, 95% CI 0.77-1.82) between SUP vs placebo/no prophylaxis. No trials reported on remaining secondary outcomes. TSA was unable to draw firm conclusions for all outcomes and certainty of evidence for all outcomes was "very low." We found no difference in all-cause mortality, overt gastrointestinal bleeding or hospital-acquired pneumonia in children in intensive care receiving acid suppressants compared with placebo/no prophylaxis. However, the quantity and quality of evidence was very low with no firm evidence for benefit or harm.

5th Festival of genomics, 29th - 30th January 2020, London UK.

5th Festival of genomics, 29th - 30th January 2020, London UK.

What are the effects of care bundles on the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumoniain paediatric and neonatal intensive care units? A systematic review.

The purpose of this review was to ascertain the impact of ventilator bundles on the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in mechanically ventilated neonates and children in intensive care units. A systematic review was conducted. Key computerised databases (CINAHL, Medline, Embase and Cochrane) as well as additional sources, with no publication date limitations, were extensively searched in January 2018. Inclusion criteria focused on ventilator bundles used in mechanically ventilated neonates and children aged from 0 to 18 years. After identification and inclusion, all studies were critically appraised for quality. Data were analysed and narratively synthesised. Eight studies of observational and nonrandomised interventional methods design were included in the review. However, the validity of five of the eight studies which were reviewed was considered substandard. In addition, there were variations in the care bundles elements studied. Nevertheless, all these studies demonstrated that the incidences of VAP in mechanically ventilated neonates and children were found to be significantly reduced by the use of ventilator bundles. This systematic review determines that ventilator bundles impact positively on the incidence of VAP in critically ill neonates and children in the neonatal intensive care unit and paediatric intensive care unit. However, the variations in the bundle elements and insufficient valid evidence necessitates further research in the area to validate the findings and to ensure standardisation of clinical practice. Prevention of VAP is aimed at avoiding the risk of aspiration in the lungs, colonisation of respiratory tract with pathogenic microorganisms and contamination of respiratory equipment. Moreover, the implementation of evidence-based interventions grouped together is fundamental to improve patient outcomes. It is recommended that a further bona fide research is required to standardise the components of paediatric ventilator bundles.

Becoming a Team: The Nature of the Parent-Healthcare Provider Relationship when a Child is Dying in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

PurposeTo explore bereaved parents' perspectives of parent and staff roles in the pediatric intensive care unit when their child was dying, and their relationships with healthcare staff during this time. Design and MethodsConstructivist grounded theory was used to undertake this study. Semi-structured interviewers were conducted with 26 bereaved parents recruited from four Australian pediatric intensive care units. The constant comparative method, coupled with open, focused, and theoretical coding were used for data analysis. ResultsBecoming a team explores the changes that occurred to the parent-healthcare provider relationship when parents realized their child was dying and attempted to become part of their child's care team. When the focus of care changed from ‘life-saving’ to ‘end-of-life’, parents' perspectives and desires of their and the healthcare providers' roles changed. Parents' attempted to reconstruct their roles to match their changing perspectives, which may or may not have been successful, depending on their ability to successfully negotiate these roles with healthcare providers. ConclusionsFindings offer insights into parental understandings of both the parental and healthcare provider roles for parents of dying children in intensive care, and the ways in which the parent-healthcare provider relationships can influence and be influenced by changes to these roles. Practice ImplicationsSuccessful parent-healthcare provider relationships require an understanding of the parental and healthcare provider role from the parents' perspective. The meanings of the parental and healthcare provider roles should be explored with parents of dying children, and supported as much as possible to enable the development of a collaborative relationship.