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Pang J, Batson L, Detwiler K, Miller ME, Thorndike D, Boss RD, Shapiro MC. Where do families turn? Ethical dilemmas in the care of chronically critically Ill children. Monash Bioeth Rev 2024:10.1007/s40592-024-00201-6. [PMID: 38976209 DOI: 10.1007/s40592-024-00201-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Advancements in early diagnosis and novel treatments for children with complex and chronic needs have improved their chances of survival. But many survive with complex medical needs and ongoing medical management in the setting of prognostic uncertainty. Their medical care relies more and more on preference-sensitive decisions, requiring medical team and family engagement in ethically challenging situations. Many families are unprepared as they face these ethical challenges and struggle to access relevant ethical resources. In this paper, Timmy's narrative, situated in the context of what is known about ethical challenges in the care of children with chronic critical illness (CCI), serves as a case study of the gap in available ethical resources to guide families in their approach to difficult decision making for children with significant medical complexity and CCI. Our author group, inclusive of parents of children with complex medical needs and medical professionals, identifies domains of ethical challenges facing families of children with CCI and we highlight the development of family/caregiver-oriented ethics resources as an essential expansion of pediatric bioethics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnson Pang
- Parent of Timmy, chronic PICU patient, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lora Batson
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kathryn Detwiler
- Complex Care Program, The Goldberg Center for Community Pediatric Health, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mattea E Miller
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dörte Thorndike
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Children's Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Renee D Boss
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Miriam C Shapiro
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
- Center for Bioethics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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Shapiro MC, Boss RD, Donohue PK, Weiss EM, Madrigal V, Henderson CM. A Snapshot of Chronic Critical Illness in Pediatric Intensive Care Units. J Pediatr Intensive Care 2024; 13:55-62. [PMID: 38571989 PMCID: PMC10987218 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1736334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Children with chronic critical illness (CCI) represent the sickest subgroup of children with medical complexity. In this article, we applied a proposed definition of pediatric CCI to assess point prevalence in medical, cardiovascular, and combined pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), screening all patients admitted to six academic medical centers in the United States on May 17, 2017, for pediatric CCI (PCCI) eligibility. We gathered descriptive data to understand medical complexity and resource needs of children with PCCI in PICUs including data regarding hospitalization characteristics, previous admissions, medical technology, and chronic multiorgan dysfunction. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the study population and hospital data. The study cohort was divided between PICU-prolonged (stay > 14 days) and PICU-exposed (any time in PICU); comparative analyses were conducted. On the study day, 185 children met inclusion criteria, 66 (36%) PICU-prolonged and 119 (64%) PICU-exposed. Nearly all had home medical technology and most ( n = 152; 82%) required mechanical ventilation in the PICU. The PICU-exposed cohort mirrored the PICU-prolonged with a few exceptions as follows: they were older, had fewer procedures and surgeries, and had more recurrent hospitalizations. Most ( n = 44; 66%) of the PICU-prolonged cohort had never been discharged home. Children with PCCI were a sizable proportion of the unit census on the study day. We found that children with PCCI are a prevalent population in PICUs. Dividing the cohorts between PICU-prolonged and PICU-exposed helps to better understand the care needs of the PCCI population. Identifying and studying PCCI, including variables relevant to PICU-prolonged and PICU-exposed, could inform changes to PICU care models and training programs to better enable PICUs to meet their unique needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam C. Shapiro
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
- Center for Bioethics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
| | - Renee D. Boss
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Berman Institute of Bioethics, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Pamela K. Donohue
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Elliott M. Weiss
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, United States
- Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Vanessa Madrigal
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care Medicine, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
| | - Carrie M. Henderson
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, United States
- Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities, Jackson, Mississippi, United States
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Sarpal A, Miller MR, Martin CM, Sibbald RW, Speechley KN. Perceived potentially inappropriate treatment in the PICU: frequency, contributing factors and the distress it triggers. Front Pediatr 2024; 12:1272648. [PMID: 38304746 PMCID: PMC10830678 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1272648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Potentially inappropriate treatment in critically ill adults is associated with healthcare provider distress and burnout. Knowledge regarding perceived potentially inappropriate treatment amongst pediatric healthcare providers is limited. Objectives Determine the frequency and factors associated with potentially inappropriate treatment in critically ill children as perceived by providers, and describe the factors that providers report contribute to the distress they experience when providing treatment perceived as potentially inappropriate. Methods Prospective observational mixed-methods study in a single tertiary level PICU conducted between March 2 and September 14, 2018. Patients 0-17 years inclusive with: (1) ≥1 organ system dysfunction (2) moderate to severe mental and physical disabilities, or (3) baseline dependence on medical technology were enrolled if they remained admitted to the PICU for ≥48 h, and were not medically fit for transfer/discharge. The frequency of perceived potentially inappropriate treatment was stratified into three groups based on degree of consensus (1, 2 or 3 providers) regarding the appropriateness of ongoing active treatment per enrolled patient. Distress was self-reported using a 100-point scale. Results Of 374 patients admitted during the study, 133 satisfied the inclusion-exclusion criteria. Eighteen patients (unanimous - 3 patients, 2 providers - 7 patients; single provider - 8 patients) were perceived as receiving potentially inappropriate treatment; unanimous consensus was associated with 100% mortality on 3-month follow up post PICU discharge. Fifty-three percent of providers experienced distress secondary to providing treatment perceived as potentially inappropriate. Qualitative thematic analysis revealed five themes regarding factors associated with provider distress: (1) suffering including a sense of causing harm, (2) conflict, (3) quality of life, (4) resource utilization, and (5) uncertainty. Conclusions While treatment perceived as potentially inappropriate was infrequent, provider distress was commonly observed. By identifying specific factor(s) contributing to perceived potentially inappropriate treatment and any associated provider distress, organizations can design, implement and assess targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Sarpal
- Department of Paediatrics, Children's Hospital – London Health Sciences Centre, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - Michael R. Miller
- Department of Paediatrics, Children's Hospital – London Health Sciences Centre, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - Claudio M. Martin
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
- Division of Critical Care, Department of Medicine, London Health Sciences Centre, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Robert W. Sibbald
- Department of Ethics, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Kathy N. Speechley
- Department of Paediatrics, Children's Hospital – London Health Sciences Centre, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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Williams EP, Madrigal VN, Leone TA, Aponte-Patel L, Baird JD, Edwards JD. Primary Intensivists and Nurses for Long-Stay Patients: A Survey of Practices and Perceptions at Academic PICUs. Pediatr Crit Care Med 2023; 24:436-446. [PMID: 36728255 DOI: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000003181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of the utilization of primary intensivists and primary nurses for long-stay patients in large, academic PICU and ascertain how these practices are operationalized and perceived. DESIGN A cross-sectional survey. SETTING U.S. PICUs with accredited Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellowships. SUBJECTS One senior physician and one senior nurse at each institution. INTERVENTION None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Separate but largely analogous questionnaires for intensivists and nurses were created using an iterative process to enhance content/face validity and readability. Sixty-seven intensivists (representing 93% of the 72 institutions with fellowship programs and their PICUs) and 59 nurses (representing 82%) responded. Twenty-four institutions utilize primary intensivists; 30 utilize primary nurses; and 13 utilize both. Most institutions use length of stay and/or other criteria (e.g., medical complexity) for eligibility. Commonly, not all patients that meet eligibility criteria receive primaries. Primary providers are overwhelmingly volunteers, and often only a fraction of providers participate. Primary intensivists at a large majority (>75%) of institutions facilitate information sharing and decision-making, attend family/team meetings, visit patients/families regularly, and are otherwise available upon request. Primary nurses at a similar majority of institutions provide consistent bedside care, facilitate information sharing, and attend family/team meetings. A large majority of respondents thought that primary intensivists increase patient/family satisfaction, reduce their stress, improve provider communication, and reduce conflict, whereas primary nurses similarly increase patient/family satisfaction. More than half of respondents shared that these practices can sometimes require effort (e.g., time and emotion), complicate decision-making, and/or reduce staffing flexibility. CONCLUSIONS Primary practices are potential strategies to augment rotating PICU care models and better serve the needs of long-stay and other patients. These practices are being utilized to varying extents and with some operationalization uniformity at large, academic PICUs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin P Williams
- Cohen Children's Medical Center, Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, NY
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physician and Surgeons, New York, NY
| | - Vanessa N Madrigal
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC
- Pediatric Ethics Program, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
| | - Tina A Leone
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physician and Surgeons, New York, NY
| | - Linda Aponte-Patel
- Section of Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physician and Surgeons, New York, NY
| | - Jennifer D Baird
- Institute for Nursing and Interprofessional Research, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Jeffrey D Edwards
- Section of Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physician and Surgeons, New York, NY
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Edwards JD. A Focused Review of Long-Stay Patients and the Ethical Imperative to Provide Inpatient Continuity. Semin Pediatr Neurol 2023; 45:101037. [PMID: 37003634 DOI: 10.1016/j.spen.2023.101037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Long-stay patients are an impactful, vulnerable, growing group of inpatients in today's (and tomorrow's) tertiary hospitals. They can outlast dozens of clinicians that necessarily rotate on and off clinical service. Yet, care from such rotating clinicians can result in fragmented care due to a lack of continuity that insufficiently meets the needs of these patients and their families. Using long-stay PICU patients as an example, this focused review discusses the impact of prolonged admissions and how our fragmented care can compound this impact. It also argues that it is an ethical imperative to provide a level of continuity of care beyond what is considered standard of care and offers a number of strategies that can provide such continuity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D Edwards
- Section of Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physician and Surgeons, New York, NY..
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Weaver MS, Shostrom VK, Sharma S, Keegan A, Walter JK. Pediatric Ethics Consultation Services. Pediatrics 2023; 151:e2022058947. [PMID: 36720707 PMCID: PMC9979273 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2022-058947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Although guidelines call for the presence of pediatric ethics consultation services (PECS), their existence in children's hospitals remains unquantified. This study determined the prevalence of PECS in children's hospitals and compared the practice environments of those with versus without PECS. METHOD The Children's Hospital Association Annual Benchmark Report survey from 2020 and PECS data were analyzed for the association of PECS with domains of care. RESULTS Two hundred thirty-one hospitals received survey requests, with 148 submitted and 144 reachable to determine PECS (62% response rate), inclusive of 50 states. Ninety-nine (69%) reported having ethics consultation services. Freestanding children's hospitals (28% of all hospitals) were more likely to report the presence of PECS (P <.001), making up 41% of hospitals with a PECS. The median number of staffed beds was 203 (25th quartile 119, 75th quartile 326) for those with PECS compared with 80 for those without (25th quartile 40, 75th quartile 121). Facilities with palliative care, higher trauma ratio, intensive care, and comprehensive programs were more likely to have PECS. Academic affiliation was associated with PECS presence (P <.001). Settings associated with skilled nursing facilities or long-term care programs were not more likely to have PECS. Hospitals designated as federally qualified health centers (P = .04) and accountable care organizations (P = .001) were more likely to have PECS. CONCLUSION Although PECS function as formal means to clarify values and mitigate conflict, one-third of children's hospitals lack PECS. Future research is needed to understand barriers to PECS and improve its presence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghann S. Weaver
- Pediatric Palliative Care
- National Center for Ethics in Healthcare, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Valerie K. Shostrom
- College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Shiven Sharma
- Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Amy Keegan
- Children’s Hospital Association, Lenexa, Kansas
| | - Jennifer K. Walter
- Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Department of Medical Ethics and Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Children with chronic critical illness (CCI) are hypothesized to be a high-risk patient population with persistent multiple organ dysfunction and functional morbidities resulting in recurrent or prolonged critical care; however, it is unclear how CCI should be defined. The aim of this scoping review was to evaluate the existing literature for case definitions of pediatric CCI and case definitions of prolonged PICU admission and to explore the methodologies used to derive these definitions. DATA SOURCES Four electronic databases (Ovid Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science) from inception to March 3, 2021. STUDY SELECTION We included studies that provided a specific case definition for CCI or prolonged PICU admission. Crowdsourcing was used to screen citations independently and in duplicate. A machine-learning algorithm was developed and validated using 6,284 citations assessed in duplicate by trained crowd reviewers. A hybrid of crowdsourcing and machine-learning methods was used to complete the remaining citation screening. DATA EXTRACTION We extracted details of case definitions, study demographics, participant characteristics, and outcomes assessed. DATA SYNTHESIS Sixty-seven studies were included. Twelve studies (18%) provided a definition for CCI that included concepts of PICU length of stay (n = 12), medical complexity or chronic conditions (n = 9), recurrent admissions (n = 9), technology dependence (n = 5), and uncertain prognosis (n = 1). Definitions were commonly referenced from another source (n = 6) or opinion-based (n = 5). The remaining 55 studies (82%) provided a definition for prolonged PICU admission, most frequently greater than or equal to 14 (n = 11) or greater than or equal to 28 days (n = 10). Most of these definitions were derived by investigator opinion (n = 24) or statistical method (n = 18). CONCLUSIONS Pediatric CCI has been variably defined with regard to the concepts of patient complexity and chronicity of critical illness. A consensus definition is needed to advance this emerging and important area of pediatric critical care research.
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Aultman JM, Raimer PL, Grossoehme DH, Nofziger RA, Ba A, Friebert S. Supporting and Contextualizing Pediatric ECMO Decision-Making Using a Person-Centered Framework. THE JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ETHICS 2023; 34:245-257. [PMID: 37831652 DOI: 10.1086/726811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
AbstractThere is a critical need to establish a space to engage in careful deliberation amid exciting, important, necessary, and groundbreaking technological and clinical advances in pediatric medicine. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is one such technology that began in pediatric settings nearly 50 years ago. And while not void of medical and ethical examination, both the symbolic progression of medicine that ECMO embodies and its multidimensional challenges to patient care require more than an intellectual exercise. What we illustrate, then, is a person-centered framework that incorporates the philosophy and practice of palliative care and care-based ethical approaches. This person-centered framework is valuable for identifying and understanding challenges central to ECMO, guides collaborative decision-making, and recognizes the value of relationships within and between patients, families, healthcare teams, and others who impact and are impacted by ECMO. Specifically, this person-centered approach enables caregivers to provide compassionate and effective support in critical, and often urgent, situations where conflicts may emerge among healthcare team members, families, and other decision makers. By reflecting on three cases based on actual situations, we apply our person-centered framework and identify those aspects that were utilized in and informed this project. We aim to fill a current gap in the pediatric ECMO literature by presenting a person-centered framework that promotes caregiving relationships among hospitalized critically ill children, families, and the healthcare team and is supported through the philosophy and practice of palliative care and clinical ethics.
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Deming RS, Mazzola E, MacDonald J, Manning S, Beight L, Currie ER, Wojcik MH, Wolfe J. Care Intensity and Palliative Care in Chronically Critically Ill Infants. J Pain Symptom Manage 2022; 64:486-494. [PMID: 35840043 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Increasingly, chronically critically ill (CCI) infants survive to discharge from Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). Little is known about their care intensity and the primary and specialty palliative care families receive at and following discharge. OBJECTIVES To describe care intensity and primary and specialty palliative care received by NICU CCI infants at discharge and one year. METHODS Chart abstraction of CCI infants at three academic centers discharged at ≥42 weeks corrected gestational age with medical technology between 2016 and 2019, including demographics, care intensity, and primary and specialty palliative care received at discharge and one year. RESULTS Among 273 infants, NICU median stays were 45 [IQR 23-92] days. Primary diagnoses included congenital and/or genetic conditions (68.5%), prematurity (28.2%), and birth events (3.3%). At discharge, surgical feeding tubes (75.1%) and tracheostomies (24.5%) were the most common technologies. Infants received a median of 6 [IQR 4-9] medications and were followed by a median of 8 [IQR 7-9] providers. At one year, 91.4% continued with one or more technologies, similar numbers of medications and specialty providers. In the NICU, nearly all families had social work involvement, 78.8% had chaplaincy and 53.8% child life; 19.8% received specialty palliative care consultation. At one year, only 13.2% were followed by palliative care. CONCLUSIONS CCI infants receive intensive medical care including multiple medical technologies, medications, and specialty follow up at discharge and remain complex at one year of life. Most receive primary interprofessional palliative care in the NICU, however these infants and their families may have limited access to specialty palliative care in the short- and long-term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel S Deming
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care (R.S.D., E.M., L.B., J.W.), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Emanuele Mazzola
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care (R.S.D., E.M., L.B., J.W.), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jeanne MacDonald
- Department of Pediatrics (J.M.), Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Simon Manning
- Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine (S.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Leah Beight
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care (R.S.D., E.M., L.B., J.W.), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erin R Currie
- School of Nursing (E.R.C.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Monica H Wojcik
- Divisions of Newborn Medicine and Genetics and Genomics, Department of Pediatrics (M.H.W.), Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joanne Wolfe
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care (R.S.D., E.M., L.B., J.W.), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatrics (J.W.), Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Children with severe chronic illness are a prevalent, impactful, vulnerable group in PICUs, whose needs are insufficiently met by transitory care models and a narrow focus on acute care needs. Thus, we sought to provide a concise synthetic review of published literature relevant to them and a compilation of strategies to address their distinctive needs. DATA SOURCES English language articles were identified in MEDLINE using a variety of phrases related to children with chronic conditions, prolonged admissions, resource utilization, mortality, morbidity, continuity of care, palliative care, and other critical care topics. Bibliographies were also reviewed. STUDY SELECTION Original articles, review articles, and commentaries were considered. DATA EXTRACTION Data from relevant articles were reviewed, summarized, and integrated into a narrative synthetic review. DATA SYNTHESIS Children with serious chronic conditions are a heterogeneous group who are growing in numbers and complexity, partly due to successes of critical care. Because of their prevalence, prolonged stays, readmissions, and other resource use, they disproportionately impact PICUs. Often more than other patients, critical illness can substantially negatively affect these children and their families, physically and psychosocially. Critical care approaches narrowly focused on acute care and transitory/rotating care models exacerbate these problems and contribute to ineffective communication and information sharing, impaired relationships, subpar and untimely decision-making, patient/family dissatisfaction, and moral distress in providers. Strategies to mitigate these effects and address these patients' distinctive needs include improving continuity and communication, primary and secondary palliative care, and involvement of families. However, there are limited outcome data for most of these strategies and little consensus on which outcomes should be measured. CONCLUSIONS The future of pediatric critical care medicine is intertwined with that of children with serious chronic illness. More concerted efforts are needed to address their distinctive needs and study the effectiveness of strategies to do so.
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Buang SNH, Loh SW, Mok YH, Lee JH, Chan YH. Palliative and Critical Care: Their Convergence in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:907268. [PMID: 35757116 PMCID: PMC9226486 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.907268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Palliative care (PC) is an integral component of optimal critical care (CC) practice for pediatric patients facing life-threatening illness. PC acts as an additional resource for patients and families as they navigate through critical illness. Although PC encompasses end of life care, it is most effective when integrated early alongside disease-directed and curative therapies. PC primarily focuses on improving quality of life for patients and families by anticipating, preventing and treating suffering throughout the continuum of illness. This includes addressing symptom distress and facilitating communication. Effective communication is vital to elicit value-based goals of care, and to guide parents through patient-focused and potentially difficult decision-making process which includes advanced care planning. A multidisciplinary approach is most favorable when providing support to both patient and family, whether it is from the psychosocial, practical, emotional, spiritual or cultural aspects. PC also ensures coordination and continuity of care across different care settings. Support for family carries on after death with grief and bereavement support. This narrative review aims to appraise the current evidence of integration of PC into pediatric CC and its impact on patient- and family-centered outcomes. We will also summarize the impact of integration of good PC into pediatric CC, including effective communication with families, advanced care planning, withholding or withdrawal of life sustaining measures and bereavement support. Finally, we will provide a framework on how best to integrate PC in PICU. These findings will provide insights on how PC can improve the quality of care of a critically ill child.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siti Nur Hanim Buang
- Pediatric Palliative Care Service, Department of Pediatric Subspecialities, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sin Wee Loh
- Children's Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatric Subspecialties, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yee Hui Mok
- Children's Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatric Subspecialties, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jan Hau Lee
- Children's Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatric Subspecialties, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yoke Hwee Chan
- Children's Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatric Subspecialties, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
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12
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Variation in Pediatric Palliative Care Allocation Among Critically Ill Children in the United States. Pediatr Crit Care Med 2021; 22:462-473. [PMID: 33116070 DOI: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The objectives are as follows: 1) estimate palliative care consult rates and trends among critically ill children and 2) characterize which children receive palliative care consults, including those meeting previously proposed ICU-specific palliative care screening criteria. DESIGN Retrospective cohort. SETTING Fifty-two United States children's hospitals participating in the Pediatric Health Information Systems database. PATIENTS Hospitalized children with nonneonatal ICU admissions from 2007 to 2018. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS The primary outcome was palliative care consultation, as identified by the palliative care International Classification of Disease code. Patient characteristics and outcomes were compared between those with and without palliative care. We used a mixed-effects multivariable model to estimate the independent association between the palliative care and patient characteristics accounting for institution and subject clustering. Hospitalizations were categorized into three mutually exclusive groups for comparative analyses: 1) meeting ICU-specific palliative care criteria, 2) presence of a complex chronic condition not in ICU-specific palliative care criteria, or 3) not meeting ICU-specific palliative care or complex chronic condition criteria. Rates and trends of palliative care consultation were estimated including variation among institutions and variation among subcategories of ICU-specific palliative care criteria. The study cohort included 740,890 subjects with 1,024,666 hospitalizations. About 1.36% of hospitalizations had a palliative care consultation. Palliative care consult was independently associated with older age, female sex, government insurance, inhospital mortality, and ICU-specific palliative care or complex chronic condition criteria. Among the hospitalizations, 30% met ICU-specific palliative care criteria, 40% complex chronic condition criteria, and 30% neither. ICU-specific palliative care patients received more mechanical ventilation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, had longer hospital and ICU lengths of stay, and had higher inhospital mortality (p < 0.001). Palliative care utilization increased over the study period with considerable variation between the institutions especially in the ICU-specific palliative care cohort and its subgroups. CONCLUSIONS Palliative care consultation for critically ill children in the United States is low. Palliative care utilization is increasing but considerable variation exists across institutions, suggesting inequity in palliative care allocation among this vulnerable population. Future studies should evaluate factors influencing allocation of palliative care among critically ill children in the United States and the drivers of differences between the institutional practices.
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Miles AH, Rushton CH, Wise BM, Moore A, Boss RD. Pediatric Chronic Critical Illness, Prolonged ICU Admissions, and Clinician Distress. J Pediatr Intensive Care 2021; 11:275-281. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1724098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractTo gain an in-depth understanding of the experience of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) clinicians caring for children with chronic critical illness (CCI), we conducted, audiotaped, and transcribed in-person interviews with PICU clinicians. We used purposive sampling to identify five PICU patients who died following long admissions, whose care generated substantial staff distress. We recruited four to six interdisciplinary clinicians per patient who had frequent clinical interactions with the patient/family for interviews. Conventional content analysis was applied to the transcripts resulting in the emergence of five themes: nonbeneficial treatment; who is driving care? Elusive goals of care, compromised personhood, and suffering. Interventions directed at increasing consensus, clarifying goals of care, developing systems allowing children with CCI to be cared for outside of the ICU, and improving communication may help to ameliorate this distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison H. Miles
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Cynda H. Rushton
- Department of Pediatrics, Berman Institute of Bioethics, School of Nursing, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Brian M. Wise
- Department of Nursing, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Aka Moore
- Department of Nursing, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Renee D. Boss
- Division of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
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Boss RD, Hirschfeld RS, Barone S, Johnson E, Arnold RM. Pediatric Chronic Critical Illness: Training Teams to Address the Communication Challenges of Patients With Repeated and Prolonged Hospitalizations. J Pain Symptom Manage 2020; 60:959-967. [PMID: 32540469 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Children with chronic critical illness (CCI) have repeated and prolonged hospitalizations. Discrete communication challenges characterize their inpatient care. OBJECTIVES Develop, implement, and evaluate a communication training for inpatient clinicians managing pediatric CCI. METHODS A one-day communication training for interdisciplinary clinicians, incorporating didactic sessions and simulated family and interdisciplinary team meetings. RESULTS Learners had an average of 11 years' clinical experience. About 34% lacked prior communication training relevant to pediatric CCI. Mean baseline competence across communication skills was 2.6 (range 2.4-3.2), corresponding to less than somewhat prepared; after the training, this increased to a mean of 4.0 (range 3.5-4.5), corresponding to well prepared. Skills with greatest improvement included conducting a family meeting, delivering bad news, discussing stopping intensive care, and end-of-life communication. After one month, perceived competence was sustained for seven of 10 skills; for remaining skills, perceived competence scores decreased by 0.1-0.2. About 100% of learners would recommend the training to colleagues; 89% advocated it for all clinicians caring for children with CCI. CONCLUSION Interdisciplinary communication training regarding long stay patients is feasible and valued by novice and seasoned clinicians. The novel integration of intrateam communication skills alongside team-family skills reflects the reality that the care of children with CCI challenges clinicians to communicate well with each other and families. Teaching interdisciplinary teams to share communication skills has the potential to overcome reported limitations of existing inpatient discussions, which can be dominated by one or two physicians and lack contributions from diverse team members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee D Boss
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Berman Institute of Bioethics, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
| | - Ryan S Hirschfeld
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Silvana Barone
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Sainte Justine University Hospital Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Emily Johnson
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert M Arnold
- Department of Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Miles AH, Turnbull AE, Sterni LM. The importance of advance care planning for children with chronic respiratory failure. Pediatr Pulmonol 2020; 55:2489-2491. [PMID: 32776702 PMCID: PMC7719584 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.24979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alison H Miles
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Alison E Turnbull
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.,Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.,Outcomes After Critical Illness and Surgery (OACIS) Group, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Laura M Sterni
- Eudowood Division of Pediatric Respiratory Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
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Struzik M, Gawlik M. The role of the nursing team in the care of patients with Kabuki syndrome. MEDICAL SCIENCE PULSE 2018. [DOI: 10.5604/01.3001.0012.5180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Kabuki syndrome is a rare genetic condition characterised by pathological changes within all the systems of the body, but with variable gene expression. All the patients described in the literature so far have specific facial features resembling the masks of actors from the Japanese Kabuki Theatre and mild to moderate mental impairment. Diagnosis is made based by genetic testing for mutations of the KMT2D and KDM6A genes. Therapy is mainly based on symptomatic alleviation of the effects of mutation, rehabilitation and improvement of the quality of patients’ life. Then prognosis of patients with Kabuki syndrome is closely related to the severity of symptoms, which is very variable. Aim of the study: The purpose of the study is to present the nursing problems based on the case report and to present complications caused by the disease entity. Material and methods: The criterion for including the patient in the study was the legal guardian’s (parent’s) consent for the child to participate in the study. Qualitative research was conducted using analysis of medical records, interview with the child and the child’s legal guardian, direct and indirect observation of the child for psycho-social changes related to the disease and interpretation of the data in the context of the theoretical knowledge and our own observations. Case report: The report is based on the case of a 16-year-old girl, diagnosed (at the age of fourteen) with rare genetic disorder – Kabuki syndrome. The patient experiences some characteristic symptoms – big, red lips, lowset and sticky-out ears, drooping eyelids and short fingers and toes. One of the first symptoms suggesting Kabuki syndrome were: spitting up during breastfeeding, problems with swallowing, motor clumsiness and epilepsy. The role of the nursing team during hospitalization was to take care because of habitual dislocation of patella, and to provide psychological suport. At present time the girl uses a wheelchair or she moves on her knees Results: The manifestations of chronic disease contribute to the feeling of excessive stress, regardless of the patient’s age. An adequate diet enriched with proteins contributes to the prevention of bedsores among individuals with Kabuki syndrome, immobilised to various degrees. Regular consultations with specialists, such as cardiologist, neurologist, gastroenterologist, orthopaedist, ophthalmologist, psychologist, orthodontist, speech therapist, immunologist, endocrinologist and dietician reduce the risk of complications associated with the disease in the patient with Kabuki syndrome. Early implementation of rehabilitation, focused to increase muscle tension, contributes to maintaining autonomy and self-care in patients with Kabuki syndrome.
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