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ABSTRACT: Nurse practitioners (NPs) in pediatric intensive care units have increased dramatically over recent years. Although state regulations are changing pediatric nurse practitioner certification, licensure and credentialing requirements, available acute care, and critical care educational programs are limited. Thus, entry-level practitioners continue to have varied clinical experience and educational preparation.
To describe the current educational preparation and scope of practice of pediatric NPs and provide guidelines for postgraduate training to successfully integrate NPs into the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
A group of NPs practicing in pediatric critical care recognized the imminent need for comprehensive orientation guidelines that are readily accessible to physicians and other nurse practitioners to successfully transition entry-level NPs into the PICU. The NPs held many discussions to identify commonalities and differences in the education foundation in pediatric NP programs, expected clinical experience and knowledge of NP students, and anticipated needs and gaps for the entry-level practitioner. A convenience sample of 20 pediatric critical care nurse practitioners practicing for > or =5 yrs were interviewed to examine current orientation processes for entry-level NPs into the PICU. Sample orientation guidelines, job descriptions, and procedural competency forms were collected and reviewed from various PICUs across the United States. An orientation model was drafted and distributed to a secondary panel of ten experienced practitioners to gather expert opinions. Responses were reviewed and a revised draft of the document was distributed to a group of APNs involved in postgraduate education.
A PICU orientation model for entry-level pediatric critical care nurse practitioners was developed.
The orientation curriculum presented here may serve as a resource for NPs and collaborating physicians who are developing a training program for entry-level practitioners.
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine 10/2009; 11(2):205-12. · 3.13 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Thrombocytopenia has been shown to be an independent predictor of mortality and prolonged hospital length of stay in critically ill adults. Studies are lacking in the pediatric intensive care unit population. We evaluated the relationship between platelet counts at admission, platelet course, and outcomes.
1) Thrombocytopenia at the time of admission to the pediatric intensive care unit is a risk factor for increased mortality and prolonged length of stay. 2) Thrombocytopenia at any point during pediatric intensive care unit stay is associated with increased mortality and length of stay. 3) Falling platelet counts during a pediatric intensive care unit course are associated with greater mortality and longer length of stay.
Prospective observational study.
All patients admitted to a multidisciplinary tertiary care pediatric intensive care unit in a University Hospital over the course of a year. ANALYSIS OF DATA: Data were analyzed using logistic and linear regression.
Thrombocytopenia (platelet count <150 x 10/L) was present in 17.3% of pediatric intensive care unit patients on admission. Mortality was higher in thrombocytopenic patients (17.6% vs. 2.47%, p < 0.001). The median length of stay in the thrombocytopenia and nonthrombocytopenia groups was 4 days vs. 1.6 days, respectively (p < 0.001). The pediatric intensive care unit patients (25.3%) were thrombocytopenic at some point in their stay. They had higher mortality (17.1% vs. 0.9%, odds ratio [OR] 23.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.2-108.6, p < 0.0005) and longer length of stay (median 6.6 days vs. 1.5 days, p < 0.0005) compared with those who were never thrombocytopenic. For every 10% fall in platelet count from the time of admission, the OR for mortality was 1.4 (95% CI 1.1-1.8) and the length of stay was longer (p < 0.0005). Patients with normal platelet counts at admission who later developed thrombocytopenia had increased mortality (OR 18.6, 95% CI 3.2-107.3) and longer length of stay (p < 0.0005) compared with those who did not develop thrombocytopenia.
Thrombocytopenia and falling platelet counts are associated with increased risk of mortality and length of stay in the pediatric intensive care unit.
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine 09/2008; 9(5):502-5. · 3.13 Impact Factor
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Beth Nachtsheim Bolick,
Christina Calamaro,
Joe Don Cavender,
Julie Ann Creaden,
Keli Hansen,
Cathy Haut,
Marquis Mark D Foreman,
Andrea Kline Tilford,
Judy Leflore,
Michele Michael,
Lisa G Sansalone, Shari Simone
Journal of Pediatric Health Care 25(4):205-6; author reply 206. · 1.66 Impact Factor
