Nurse-Driven Protocols for Febrile Pediatric Oncology Patients

Comparison of two non-invasive body temperature measurement methods for the detection of febrile neutropenia in children with cancer

BACKGROUND

This study was conducted to compare the accuracy of two noninvasive thermometers (axillary and infrared non-contact forehead thermometer) in measuring core temperature compared to the gold standard oral thermometer in the detection of fever in pediatric cancer patients with febrile neutropenia.

METHODS

The study was conducted with a single group of 42 children with febrile neutropenia between 23 December 2020 and 25 January 2023 in the pediatric hematology and oncology clinic of a training and research hospital, which provides a specialized environment for both medical education and advanced scientific research in the field of pediatric hematology and oncology. The participants' body temperature was measured with an oral, axillary, and non-contact infrared forehead thermometer immediately after admission to the clinic and at 5 and 10 min after admission. The inter-rater agreement for each method and inter-method agreement between axillary and non-contact infrared temperature readings and oral readings were analyzed for each time point using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC).

RESULTS

The children in the study had a mean age of 11.62 ± 3.00 years and 28 (66.7%) were boys, 19 (45.2%) were younger children (5-10 years of age), and 23 (54.8%) were adolescents (11-16 years of age). In the analysis of agreement between the thermometers at admission and at 5 and 10 min after admission in children with febrile neutropenia, the highest agreement was between the oral and axillary thermometers (ICC: 0.584, 0.835, 0.536, respectively) and the lowest agreement was between the oral and non-contact infrared thermometers (ICC: 0.219, 0.022, 0.473, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Compared to orally measured body temperature, axillary temperature readings showed better agreement than non-contact infrared temperature readings from the forehead in pediatric patients with febrile neutropenia.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The research findings may guide nurses and families caring for pediatric patients with febrile neutropenia and should contribute to the prevention of false findings of fever and the reduction of its adverse consequences.

Empowering telemetry technicians and enhancing communication to improve in-hospital cardiac arrest survival

Delays in treatment of in-hospital cardiac arrests (IHCAs) are associated with worsened survival. We sought to assess the impact of a bundled intervention on IHCA survival in patients on centralised telemetry. A retrospective quality improvement study was performed of a bundled intervention which incorporated (1) a telemetry hotline for telemetry technicians to reach nursing staff; (2) empowerment of telemetry technicians to directly activate the IHCA response team and (3) a standardised escalation system for automated critical alerts within the nursing mobile phone system. In the 4-year study period, there were 75 IHCAs, including 20 preintervention and 55 postintervention. Cox proportional hazard regression predicts postintervention individuals have a 74% reduced the risk of death (HR 0.26, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.84) during a code and a 55% reduced risk of death (HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.89) prior to hospital discharge. Overall code survival improved from 60.0% to 83.6% (p=0.031) with an improvement in ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) code survival from 50.0% to 100.0% (p=0.035). There was no difference in non-telemetry code survival preintervention and postintervention (71.4% vs 71.3%, p=0.999). The bundled intervention, including improved communication between telemetry technicians and nurses as well as empowerment of telemetry technicians to directly activate the IHCA response team, may improve IHCA survival, specifically for VT/VF arrests.

Participatory Methods to Improve and Develop Pediatric Nursing Practice: A Scoping Review

Children's nurses in African pediatric settings are often responsible for leading practice improvements. There is a shortage of contextually relevant guidance to inform the design of practice improvement projects in African care settings. Distinctive features of children's nursing practice in Africa include high levels of family caregiver involvement, and organizational and professional cultures which value participation. While established practice improvement methods offer many strengths, methods developed in other geographies should not be adopted uncritically. Our purpose in undertaking this review was to inform selection of methods for a multi-center practice improvement project in Africa. Our aim was to identify types of participatory methods used to improve and develop pediatric nursing practice. We used the PRISMA-ScR method to conduct a scoping review to identify published reports of participatory methods used to improve and develop pediatric nursing practice. We undertook structured searches of five bibliographic databases to identify articles. Only articles written in the English language were included and no limitation was applied to publication date. We identified 7,406 titles and abstracts. After screening, 76 articles met the inclusion criteria. A wide range of participatory methodologies were identified; just under half (n = 34) reported on methods that were not recognized or named methodologies but can be described as collaborative in nature. Plan-do-study-act cycles were reported in 22 articles. There was considerable heterogeneity in frameworks, practical tools and/or nursing models on which the participatory methods were based and there was no apparent relationship between these and the choice of participatory methods. The outcomes identified were also heterogenous in nature and were grouped according to whether they improved structure and/or processes and patient outcomes. Most of the included articles stem from high-income countries with little evidence from low-middle-income countries and none in African settings. Less than half of the included articles involved family caregivers in their practice improvement methodologies. This review highlights the need for greater application of formalized methods for practice improvement and improved rigor and consistency in reporting outcomes. There is also a need to formalize participatory practice improvement methodologies specifically suited to Africa's context of children's nursing.

Simulation-based assessment of care for infant cardiogenic shock in the emergency department

BACKGROUND

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of infant deaths associated with birth defects. Neonates with undiagnosed CHD often present to general emergency departments (GEDs) for initial resuscitation that are less prepared than paediatric centres, resulting in disparities in the quality of care. Neonates with undiagnosed CHD represent a challenge; thus, it is necessary for GEDs to be prepared for this population.

AIM

To evaluate the process of resuscitative care provided to a neonate in cardiogenic shock due to CHD in the GEDs in a simulated setting and to describe the impact of teams and GED variables on the process of care.

METHODS

This is a prospective simulation-based assessment of the process of care provided to a neonate with coarctation of the aorta in cardiogenic shock. Simulation sessions were conducted at participating GEDs utilizing each GED's interdisciplinary team and resources. The primary outcome was adherence to best practice, as measured by a 15-item overall composite adherence score (CAS). In addition, we stratified the overall CAS into CHD-critical items and the general resuscitation items CAS. The secondary outcome was the impact of the team's and GED's characteristics on the scores.

FINDINGS

This study enrolled 32 teams from 12 GEDs. Among 161 participants, 103 (63.97%) were registered nurses, 33 (20.50%) were physicians, 17 (10.56%) were respiratory therapists, and 8 (4.97%) were other medical professionals. The overall median CAS was 84, with the CHD-critical items having a median CAS of 34.5. The most underperformed tasks are checking pulses on the upper and lower extremities (44%), obtaining blood pressure in the upper and lower extremities (25%), and administering prostaglandin E1 (22%).

CONCLUSIONS

Using in situ simulation in a set of GEDs, we revealed gaps in the resuscitation care of neonates with CHD in cardiogenic shock.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

These findings highlight the importance of targeted improvement programs for high-stakes illnesses in GED.

Improving management of fever in neutropenic children with cancer across multiple sites

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of a clinical pathway in achieving antibiotic administration in less than 60 minutes for children with cancer, presenting with fever and neutropenia. Secondary objectives were to determine association between time to antibiotics (TTA) and other variables including fever duration, location of care and intravenous access types.

METHODS

Following introduction of the clinical pathway, we collected prospective data about management of all cases that did and did not use the pathway across multiple sites over 16 months. A follow-up audit was conducted after 12 months.

RESULTS

We evaluated a total of 453 presentations. Use of the clinical pathway was significantly associated with achieving TTA in less than 60 minutes (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.56-0.85, p = <0.001). Despite varying use of the pathway over time, the median time to antibiotics was achieved in both the initial study period (57 minutes) and sustained at follow-up (60 minutes). TTA was also associated with types of intravenous access device and location of care and with length of stay. We did not find any association between TTA and any other variables.

CONCLUSION

Clinical pathways improve fever management in this patient cohort. Ongoing education and auditing to identify factors which impact processes of care are necessary.

Improving Time to Antibiotics for Pediatric Oncology Patients With Fever and Suspected Neutropenia by Applying Lean Principles

BACKGROUND

Fever in the setting of neutropenia is a potentially life-threatening complication of cancer treatment. A time of less than 60 minutes from presentation to antibiotic administration is therefore recommended.

OBJECTIVE

To use Lean Six Sigma methodology, a quality improvement initiative, to improve time to antibiotics (TTA) for children with chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia presenting to the emergency department.

METHODS

Lean Six Sigma is a quality improvement method that engages all impacted stakeholders and focuses on streamlining the process by removing process wastes. Stakeholders identified multiple process wastes in an in-depth study of 49 fever episodes in patients attending a tertiary care pediatric hospital, including patients waiting to be registered, waiting for laboratory technicians, delay in accessing central venous access device, waiting for absolute neutrophil count, and delayed antibiotics orders. We implemented multiple solutions: engaging patients in the process through predischarge tours of the emergency department, home application of topical anesthetic, nurse-initiated pathway, early access of central venous access device for all blood work, and planned antibiotic administration no later than 45 minutes after triage. We prospectively determined the impact of these interventions on TTA.

RESULTS

The TTA significantly improved to a median of 59 minutes (interquartile range, 38.5-77.5 minutes) compared with the baseline of 99 minutes (interquartile range, 72.0-132.0 minutes; P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Lean methodology effectively identifies barriers and provides solutions to remove barriers and improve administration of antibiotics in febrile oncology patients. These can be widely applied, including in smaller institutions with minimal increased utilization of resources.

Implementation of Clinical Practice Guidelines in the Health Care Setting: A Concept Analysis

The literature is replete with clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and evidence supporting them. Translating guidelines into practice, however, is often challenging. We conducted a concept analysis to define the concept of "implementation of CPGs in health care settings." We utilized Walker and Avant's methodology to define the concept of "implementation of CPGs in health care settings." This included a focused review of the literature, defining the relevant attributes, defining implementation, case examples, and antecedents and potential consequences from implementation of CPGs in health care settings. The concept "implementation" is complex, with numerous frameworks, facilitators, and barriers to implementation described in the literature. The existing literature supports our definition of implementation of CPGs in a health care setting as a process of changing practice in health care while utilizing the best level of evidence that is available in the published literature. These include 7 attributes necessary for effective implementation. Implementation of CPGs in health care settings requires an ongoing iterative process that considers these attributes and is inclusive to administrators, clinicians, and patients to ensure guidelines are understood, accepted, implemented, and evaluated for continued adoption of best practices. Ongoing efforts inclusive at all steps of implementation across multiple levels are needed to effectively change practice.

Interventions aiming to reduce time to antibiotics (TTA) in patients with fever and neutropenia during chemotherapy for cancer (FN), a systematic review

Purpose

Multiple interventions have been developed aiming to reduce time to antibiotics (TTA) in patients with fever and neutropenia (FN) following chemotherapy for cancer. We evaluated their effect to reduce TTA and their impact on important clinical outcomes in a systematic review.

Methods

The search covered seven databases. Biases and quality of studies were assessed with the Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool. Interventions could be implemented in any setting and performed by any person included in the FN management. Absolute change of TTA was the primary outcome. Registration: PROSPERO (CRD42018092948).

Results

Six thousand two hundred ninety-six titles and abstracts were screened, 177 studies were retrieved and 30 studies were included. Risk of bias was moderate to serious in 28 studies and low in two studies. All but one study reported a reduction of TTA after the intervention. Various types of interventions were implemented; they most commonly aimed at professionals. Most of the studies made more than one single intervention.

Conclusion

This review may help centers to identify their specific sources of delay and barriers to change and to define what intervention may be the best to apply. This review supports the assertion that TTA can be considered a measure of quality of care, emphasizes the importance of education and training, and describes the very different interventions which have effectively reduced TTA.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00520-019-05056-w) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Unmet need for interprofessional education in paediatric cancer: a scoping review

PURPOSE

Despite improved treatment and care, children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer continue to die, while many of those cured are burdened by treatment-related sequelae. The best clinical management of children and adolescents with cancer depends on healthcare professionals with various skills and expertise. Complex treatment, care and rehabilitation require collaboration between healthcare professionals. The purpose of this scoping review is to identify and evaluate existing interprofessional education in paediatric cancer.

METHODS

We utilised the scoping review methodology and searched PubMed, Scopus and Education Resources Information Center. Inclusion criteria were postgraduate studies targeting more than one profession and evaluation of the educational intervention. We applied Kirkpatrick's modified interprofessional education outcomes model to systematise outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 418 references, nine studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The design, strategy and content of all the studies were heterogeneous. None of the interprofessional educations systematically evaluated knowledge, skills, attitudes or the effects on patient outcomes or quality of care.

CONCLUSION

There is a lack of well-structured, interprofessional education in paediatric cancer that has undergone evaluation. Paediatric cancer may benefit from systematic education and evaluation frameworks since interprofessional education could potentially strengthen the treatment, care and rehabilitation for children and adolescents with cancer.

Through Their Eyes: Parental Perceptions on Hospital Admissions for Febrile Neutropenia in Children With Cancer

Febrile neutropenia requires prompt assessment and antibiotic administration and is the most common reason for unexpected hospital admission in pediatric oncology. Parents are expected to be vigilant and "drop everything" to take their child to their nearest hospital for assessment if fever occurs. Delays in antibiotic administration are associated with poorer outcomes; however, delays are common. Our aim was to understand and describe the lived experience of parents of children with cancer who received treatment for fever with confirmed/suspected neutropenia. We used descriptive phenomenological concepts to undertake and analyze interviews with parents, who were asked to describe their recent experience of hospitalization in Queensland, Australia. Nine participants were interviewed. Five children were treated in the tertiary treating center and four were treated in smaller regional towns. Three main categories were identified that shaped and characterized parents' experiences: being heard, confidence in capabilities of health care professionals, and living with anticipated distress and uncertainty. Parents' experiences were related to the level they needed to advocate for their child's care across all themes. Familiarity with health care professionals increased confidence and improved parents' experiences. Maintaining vigilance and managing the child and family's response to an unexpected admission had a substantial negative effect on parents. Understanding parents' experiences and perceptions of the management of febrile neutropenia adds to the current body of knowledge and offers potential new insights to improve clinical practice.

Making Improvements in the ED: Does ED Busyness Affect Time to Antibiotics in Febrile Pediatric Oncology Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department?

OBJECTIVES

Febrile neutropenic pediatric patients are at heightened risk for serious bacterial infections, and rapid antibiotic administration (in <60 minutes) improves survival. Our objectives were to reduce the time-to-antibiotic (TTA) administration and to evaluate the effect of overall emergency department (ED) busyness on TTA.

METHODS

This study was a quality improvement initiative with retrospective chart review to reduce TTA in febrile children with underlying diagnosis of cancer or hematologic immunodeficiency who visited the pediatric ED. A multidisciplinary clinical practice guideline (CPG) was implemented to improve TTA. The CPG's main focus was delivery of antibiotics before availability of laboratory data. We collected data on TTA during baseline and intervention periods. Concurrent patient arrivals to the ED per hour served as a proxy of busyness. Time to antibiotic was compared with the number of concurrent arrivals per hour. Analyses included scatter plot and regression analysis.

RESULTS

There were 253 visits from October 1, 2010 to March 30, 2012. Median TTA administration dropped from 207 to 89 minutes (P < 0.001). Eight months after completing all intervention periods, the median had dropped again to 44 minutes with 70% of patients receiving antibiotics within 60 minutes of ED arrival. There was no correlation between concurrent patient arrivals and TTA administration during the historical or intervention periods.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of a CPG and process improvements significantly reduced median TTA administration. Total patient arrivals per hour as a proxy of ED crowding did not affect TTA administration. Our data suggest that positive improvements in clinical care can be successful despite fluctuations in ED patient volume.

Improving Time to Antibiotics for Pediatric Oncology Patients With Suspected Infections: An Emergency Department-Based Quality Improvement Intervention

OBJECTIVE

Studies in pediatric patients with fever and neutropenia demonstrate that shorter time to antibiotics is associated with a decrease in pediatric intensive care unit admissions and in-hospital mortality. In 2012, a 2-phase quality improvement intervention was implemented in a pediatric emergency department (ED) to improve care for this high-risk patient population.The objective was to determine if the introduction of (1) a rapid absolute neutrophil count (ANC) test and (2) a standardized prearrival process decreased time to antibiotics for febrile hematology/oncology(heme/onc) patients presenting to the ED.

METHODS

The rapid ANC test introduced in February 2012 decreased turn-around-times in the laboratory from 60 to 10 minutes. The standardization of the prearrival communication between the heme/onc team and ED was implemented in August 2012 as part of a clinical standard work pathway for heme/onc patients who presented to the ED with fever and possible neutropenia. Time from arrival to the ED to administration of first antibiotic was measured.Data from January 2011 to December 2013 were analyzed using statistical process control.

RESULTS

Seven hundred eighteen encounters for 327 patients were included. After the rapid ANC test, the proportion of patients who received antibiotics within 60 minutes of arrival increased from 47% to 60%. There was further improvement to 69% with implementation of the clinical standard work pathway. Mean time to antibiotics decreased from 83 to 65 minutes (21% decrease).

CONCLUSION

This 2-phase quality improvement intervention increased the proportion of patients who received antibiotics within 60 minutes of arrival to the ED. Similar processes may be implemented in other pediatric EDs to improve timeliness of antibiotic administration.

Successful emergency department interventions that reduce time to antibiotics in febrile pediatric cancer patients

Children with cancer and fever are at high risk for sepsis related death. Rapid antibiotic delivery (< 60 minutes) has been shown to reduce mortality. We compared patient outcomes and describe interventions from three separate quality improvement (QI) projects conducted in three United States (US) tertiary care pediatric emergency departments (EDs) with the shared aim to reduce time to antibiotic (TTA) to < 60 minutes in febrile pediatric oncology patients (Temperature > 38.0 C). A secondary objective was to identify interventions amenable to translation to other centers. We conducted a post project analysis of prospectively collected observational data from children < 18 years visiting these EDs during independently conducted QI projects. Comparisons were made pre to post intervention periods within each institution. All interventions were derived independently using QI methods by each institution. Successful as well as unsuccessful interventions were described and common interventions adopted by all sites identified. A total of 1032 ED patient visits were identified from the three projects. Improvement in median TTA delivery (min) pre to post intervention(s) was 118.5-57.0 at site 1, 163.0-97.5 at site 2, and 188.0-111.5 at site 3 (p<.001 all sites). The eight common interventions were 1) Triage application of topical anesthetic 2) Rapid room placement & triage 3) Resuscitation room placement of ill appearing children 4) Close proximity to central line equipment 5) Antibiotic administration before laboratory analyses 6) Consensus clinical practice guideline establishment 7) Family pre-ED education for fever and 8) Staff project updates. This core set of eight low cost, high yield QI interventions were developed independently by the three ED's which led to substantial reduction in time to antibiotic delivery in children with cancer presenting with fever. These interventions may inform future QI initiatives in other settings caring for febrile pediatric oncology patients.

Strategies facilitating practice change in pediatric cancer: a systematic review

PURPOSE

By conducting a systematic review, we describe strategies to actively disseminate knowledge or facilitate practice change among healthcare providers caring for children with cancer and we evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies.

DATA SOURCES

We searched Ovid Medline, EMBASE and PsychINFO.

STUDY SELECTION

Fully published primary studies were included if they evaluated one or more professional intervention strategies to actively disseminate knowledge or facilitate practice change in pediatric cancer or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

DATA EXTRACTION

Data extracted included study characteristics and strategies evaluated. In studies with a quantitative analysis of patient outcomes, the relationship between study-level characteristics and statistically significant primary analyses was evaluated.

RESULTS OF DATA SYNTHESIS

Of 20 644 titles and abstracts screened, 146 studies were retrieved in full and 60 were included. In 20 studies, quantitative evaluation of patient outcomes was examined and a primary outcome was stated. Eighteen studies were 'before and after' design; there were no randomized studies. All studies were at risk for bias. Interrupted time series was never the primary analytic approach. No specific strategy type was successful at improving patient outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Literature describing strategies to facilitate practice change in pediatric cancer is emerging. However, major methodological limitations exist. Studies with robust designs are required to identify effective strategies to effect practice change.

An Analysis of Intravenous Catheter Placement Among Patients in a Pediatric Emergency Department

OBJECTIVES

Pediatric emergency departments (PED) are overcrowded and at times inefficient with malaligned resources, especially regarding the use of intravenous (IV) catheters which are placed frequently, yet may be underused. This study seeks to determine which pediatric patients are more likely to need IV access in a PED.

METHODS

This retrospective study examined patients 3 days to 21 years seen in a tertiary PED from January 1, 2013, to February 28, 2013, who were triaged using the Emergency Severity Index, levels 1 to 3. Extracted data included age, chief complaints, chronic medical conditions, final diagnoses, evidence of venipuncture, and IV placement and usage. Patients were excluded if they entered the PED with an IV or central venous catheter, were older than 21 years, or had charts with missing data.

RESULTS

Four thousand three hundred twenty-two patients were initially evaluated, and 122 patients were excluded. Mean age of the patients was 6.2 years (SD = 5.65), most common triage was level 3 (urgent), and the majority of patients (n = 2898, 69.0%) did not have a chronic medical condition. Five hundred forty-five (13%) had IVs placed, and of those, 152 (27.9%) had IVs placed and not used. Patients triaged as critical or emergent, patients older than 10 years, and those with a gastrointestinal chief complaint and chronic medical conditions involving hematology, oncology/immunology, or endocrinology were most likely to have an IV placed and used.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with higher acuities, specified systemic complaints, certain chronic medical conditions, and patients older than 10 years are more likely to need an IV.

Management of fever and neutropenia in paediatric cancer patients: room for improvement?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Fever and neutropenia is the most common complication in the treatment of childhood cancer. This review will summarize recent publications that focus on improving the management of this condition as well as those that seek to optimize translational research efforts.

RECENT FINDINGS

A number of clinical decision rules are available to assist in the identification of low-risk fever and neutropenia however few have undergone external validation and formal impact analysis. Emerging evidence suggests acute fever and neutropenia management strategies should include time to antibiotic recommendations, and quality improvement initiatives have focused on eliminating barriers to early antibiotic administration. Despite reported increases in antimicrobial resistance, few studies have focused on the prediction, prevention, and optimal treatment of these infections and the effect on risk stratification remains unknown. A consensus guideline for paediatric fever and neutropenia research is now available and may help reduce some of the heterogeneity between studies that have previously limited the translation of evidence into clinical practice.

SUMMARY

Risk stratification is recommended for children with cancer and fever and neutropenia. Further research is required to quantify the overall impact of this approach and to refine exactly which children will benefit from early antibiotic administration as well as modifications to empiric regimens to cover antibiotic-resistant organisms.

Administration Time for the First Dose of Antimicrobials in Episodes of Fever and Neutropenia in Children With Cancer

BACKGROUND

Early administration of antimicrobial (AM) is relevant in children with cancer, fever and neutropenia (FN). The recommendation is to administer the first dose of AM within the first hour of hospital admission. Our aims were to determine the time from the moment that a child with FN is admitted to the hospital until they receive their first dose of AM and to determine the association with clinical outcomes.

METHODS

This prospective, multicenter study evaluated the time elapsed from the admission to the first dose of AM, comparing this variable by admitting hospital and presentation location (Emergency Department/Oncology Units) and evaluating the clinical outcomes by the following variables: days of fever, days of hospitalization, hypotension, transfer to intensive care unit, sepsis and mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 226 children with 388 episodes of FN were enrolled from 5 hospitals (July 2012-April 2014). The median time between hospital admission and administration of the first dose of AM was 132 minutes (interquartile range: 60-246 minutes). The median time to AM administration was significantly different between hospitals (70 vs. 200 minutes, P < 0.0001) and between presentation locations (Emergency Department vs. Oncology Units, median: 200 vs. 100 minutes, P < 0.0001). Twenty-five percentage of children received AM within 1 hour of admission. The administration of AM after 60 minutes was not associated with worse outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Time to AM administration was longer than the recommendation. The findings described provide an opportunity to identify gaps and implement programs aimed at improving the equity and excellence of care in children with cancer and FN.

An Analytic Review of Clinical Implications From Nursing and Psychosocial Research Within Swedish Pediatric Oncology

The purpose of this manuscript is to analyze researchers' suggestions for clinical implications of their findings as stated in recent published articles on nursing and psychosocial research within the setting of Swedish pediatric oncology. Identified categories included staff awareness of the effects of child illness on families; systems for care improvement; provision of quality of care, education and support; and empowerment of children and families. In order to be able to realize these clinical suggestions, expanded research is needed as well as continued education and support for staff.

Pediatric patients who receive antibiotics for fever and neutropenia in less than 60 min have decreased intensive care needs

BACKGROUND

Antibiotic delivery to patients with fever and neutropenia (F&N) in <60 min is an increasingly important quality measure for oncology centers, but several published reports indicate that a time to antibiotic delivery (TTA) of <60 min is quite difficult to achieve. Here we report a quality improvement (QI) effort that sought to decrease TTA and assess associated clinical outcomes in pediatric patients with cancer and F&N.

PROCEDURE

We used Lean-Methodology and a Plan-Do-Study-Act approach to direct QI efforts and prospectively tracked TTA measures and associated clinical outcomes (length of stay, duration of fever, use of imaging studies to search for occult infection, bacteremia, intensive care unit (ICU) consultation or admission, and mortality). We then performed statistical analysis to determine the impact of our QI interventions on total TTA, sub-process times, and clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

Our QI interventions significantly improved TTA such that we are now able to deliver antibiotics in <60 min nearly 100% of the time. All TTA sub-process times also improved. Moreover, achieving TTA <60 min significantly reduced the need for ICU consultation or admission (P = 0.003) in this population.

CONCLUSION

Here we describe our QI effort along with a detailed assessment of several associated clinical outcomes. These data indicate that decreasing TTA to <60 min is achievable and associated with improved outcomes in pediatric patients with cancer and F&N.