A Brief, Just-in-Time Sedation Training in the Pediatric Emergency Department Improves Performance During Adverse Events Encountered in Simulated Procedural Sedations

BACKGROUND

Procedural sedation (PS) is commonly performed in emergency departments (EDs) by nonanesthesiologists. Although adverse events (AEs) are rare, providers must possess the clinical skills to react in a timely manner. We previously described residents' experience and confidence in PS as part of a needs assessment. We found that their ability to perform important clinical tasks as a result of the usual training experience demonstrates educational needs. We developed an educational intervention to address the deficiencies uncovered during our needs assessment.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention on pediatric residents' clinical performance and confidence when faced with an AE during a simulated PS.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational cohort study of residents at a tertiary care children's hospital. All ED attending physicians and fellows were trained in uniform delivery of the educational intervention, which was delivered extemporaneously at the bedside ("Just-in-Time" [JIT]) to all residents performing PS on actual patients in the pediatric ED, over the course of 1 year. Subjects completed the following both before and after the educational intervention: a survey pertaining to confidence in PS, followed by a standardized, video-recorded simulated PS complicated by apnea and desaturation. Clinical performance was evaluated and assessed both in real time and by a video-rater blinded to participants' year of training. We summarized baseline resident characteristics, confidence questionnaire item rankings and success in both the preparation and AE tasks. We compared successful task completion and time to task completion before and after intervention.

RESULTS

Forty residents completed both the PRE and POST phases of the study. There was significant improvement in the proportion of residents who completed both preparation and AE tasks after the JIT training. Specifically, there was a significant improvement in the proportion of residents who performed positive-pressure ventilation to treat an apneic event associated with desaturation during the PS (P = 0.007). Residents' confidence scores also significantly improved after the training.

CONCLUSION

A brief JIT training in the pediatric ED improves resident clinical performance and confidence when faced with an AE during a simulated PS. Future direction includes correlating this improved performance with patient outcomes in PS.

The effect of in situ simulation training on the performance of tasks related to patient safety during sedation

In many countries, procedural sedation outside of the operating room is performed by pediatricians. We examined if in situ sedation simulation training (SST) of pediatricians improves the performance of tasks related to patient safety during sedation in the Emergency Department (ED). We performed a single-center, quasi-experimental, study evaluating the performance of sedation, before-and-after SST. Sixteen pediatricians were evaluated during sedation as part of their usual practice, using the previously validated Sedation-Performance-Score (SPS). This tool evaluates physician behaviors during sedation that are conducive to safe patient outcomes. Following the sedation, providers completed SST, followed by a structured debriefing. They were then re-evaluated with the SPS during a subsequent patient sedation in the ED. Using multivariate regression, odds ratios were calculated for each SPS component, and were compared before and after the SST. Thirty-two sedations were performed, 16 before and 16 after SST. SPS scores improved from a median of 4 (IQR 2-5) to 6 (IQR 4-7) following SST (p < 0.0009, median difference 2, 95% CI 1-3). SST was associated with improved performance in four SPS components. The findings of this pilot study suggest that sedation simulation training of pediatricians improves several tasks related to patient safety during sedation.

Should Medical Errors Be Disclosed to Pediatric Patients? Pediatricians' Attitudes Toward Error Disclosure

OBJECTIVE

Limited data exist on medical error disclosure in pediatrics. We sought to assess physicians' attitudes toward error disclosure to parents and pediatric patients.

METHODS

An anonymous survey was distributed to 1200 members of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Surveys included 1 of 4 possible cases that only varied by patient age (16 or 9 years old) and by whether the medical error resulted in reversible or irreversible harm. Statistical analyses included chi-square, Bonferroni-adjusted P values, Fisher's exact test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, and logistic regressions including key demographic factors, patient age, and error reversibility.

RESULTS

The response rate was 40% (474 of 1186). Overall, 98% of respondents believed it was very important to disclose medical errors to parents versus 57% to pediatric patients (P < .0001). Respondents believed that medical errors could be disclosed to developmentally appropriate pediatric patients at a mean age of 12.15 years old (SD 3.33), but not below a mean age of 10.25 years old (SD 3.55). Most respondents (72%) believed that physicians and parents should jointly decide whether to disclose to pediatric patients. When disclosing to pediatric patients, 88% of respondents believed that physicians should disclose with the parents present. Logistic regressions found only patient age (odds ratio 18.65, 95% confidence interval 9.20-37.8) and error reversibility (odds ratio 2.90, 95% confidence interval 1.73-4.86) to affect attitudes toward disclosure to pediatric patients. Respondent sex, year of medical school graduation, and area of practice had no effect on disclosure attitudes.

CONCLUSIONS

Most respondents endorse disclosing medical errors to parents and older pediatric patients, particularly when irreversible harm occurs.

Management of neonates with hyperbilirubinemia: improving timeliness of care using a clinical pathway

BACKGROUND

Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is a common reason for neonates to present to the emergency department (ED). Although clinical practice guidelines provide recommendations for evaluation and therapy, few studies have evaluated ways to apply them effectively in the ED setting. The primary objective of this study was to compare time to phototherapy in neonates presenting to the ED with jaundice before and after implementation of a nursing-initiated clinical pathway. Secondary outcomes included time to bilirubin result and ED length of stay in neonates.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective historical control study comparing neonates presenting to the ED with jaundice during 9-month periods before and after initiation of the pathway. Charts were abstracted for times of assessment and treatment and final disposition.

RESULTS

Three hundred neonates were included in this study: 149 before and 151 after pathway implementation. Median time to phototherapy (historical control: 128 minutes vs postintervention group: 52 minutes; P < .001), median time to bilirubin result (157 vs 99; P < .001), and median ED length of stay (268 minutes vs 195 minutes; P < .001) were shorter for neonates treated after the implementation of the clinical pathway. No complications were reported during the study period.

CONCLUSIONS

After implementation of a clinical pathway for the management of neonates with jaundice in the ED, we observed a reduction in time to phototherapy, time to bilirubin measurement, and overall length of stay.