OBJECTIVE To facilitate critical decision making and improve satisfaction with care among families of patients in a pediatric intensive care unit. DESIGN Prospective observational study followed by a nonrandomized controlled trial of a clinical intervention to identify conflicts and facilitate communication between families and the clinical team. SETTING The pediatric intensive care unit of...

BACKGROUND Antibiotic surveillance is mandatory to optimise antibiotic therapy. Our objectives were to evaluate antibiotic use in our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and to implement a simple achievable intervention aimed at improving antibiotic therapy. METHOD Prospective, 3 months surveillance of antibiotic use on PICU (phase I) and evaluation according to the CDC 12-step campaign with...

Although there is a growing body of literature about the medical problems which arise in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), rather little has been written about psychiatric issues characteristic of the critical care setting for children. This article will describe the PICU as a community made up of several sub-groups, the various psychosocial stresses, the reactions to stresses, and the in...

The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of neonatal and pediatric intensive care units (ICU) and beds in Rio de Janeiro, correlating with population demands in 1997 and 2007. All neonatal and pediatric ICUs were visited, identifying the availability and type of beds. Comparisons were made between: supply and demand using projected need for beds for the population; public...

Pediatric palliative nursing care, both stressful and rewarding, requires coping skills, confidence, and other attributes for successful patient care and nursing practice. Through a thorough literature review, clinical workshops, direct observations in pediatric palliative care settings, and personal nursing experience in the neonatal intensive care, pediatric intensive care, and oncology wards...

OBJECTIVE To describe physicians' experiences in attempting to provide optimal care for families of children who suffer from sudden, acute life-threatening conditions (SALTC). DESIGN To generate descriptive data in this exploratory study, we used qualitative methods including focus groups and in-depth interviews. Transcripts of focus groups and interviews were analyzed for content using stand...

OBJECTIVE To assess the performance of the Nursing Activities Score in a pediatric intensive care unit, compare its scores expressed as time spent on nursing activities to the corresponding ones calculated using the Simplified Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System, and correlate the results obtained by both instruments with severity, morbidity and mortality. METHODS Prospective, observation...