Adolescents with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Model for Transition to Adult Care.

Successful health care transition from pediatric to adult care emphasizes the need for a collaborative effort to employ systematic processes. The development of a structured health care transition program for adolescents with chronic kidney disease (CKD) was the goal of this quality improvement program. The non-experimental design included development of an individualized health care transition treatment plan and TRxANSITION Scale™ application of the transition plan with patient evaluation; success designated full transition to adult care. Of the 19 patients enrolled, 74% had CKD, and 26% were renal transplant recipients. TRxANSITION Scale variables with the highest Pearson Correlation coefficients for total scores and strong positive relationships were self-management, insurance, and school. Four participants successfully transitioned. Purposeful, interprofessional health care transition preparation provides youth with CKD ongoing access to subspecialists, promotes self-care, and allows continued support of long-term health care planning. This evidence-based project adds to the body of knowledge for a topic that has proven to be challenging and often difficult for patients, families, and providers.

Logistics of Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Therapies in PICU.

OBJECTIVES: To describe practical considerations and approaches to best practices for end-of-life care for critically ill children and families in the PICU. DATA SOURCES: Literature review, personal experience, and expert opinion. STUDY SELECTION: A sampling of the foundational and current evidence related to the withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies in the context of childhood critical illness and injury was accessed. DATA EXTRACTION: Moderated by the authors and supported by lived experience. DATA SYNTHESIS: Narrative review and experiential reflection. CONCLUSIONS: Consequences of childhood death in the PICU extend beyond the events of dying and death. In the context of withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies, achieving a quality death is impactful both in the immediate and in the longer term for family and for the team. An individualized approach to withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies that is informed by empiric and practical knowledge will ensure best care of the child and support the emotional well-being of child, family, and the team. Adherence to the principles of holistic and compassionate end-of-life care and an ongoing commitment to provide the best possible experience for withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies can achieve optimal end-of-life care in the most challenging of circumstances.

Improving Health Care Provider Communication in End-of-Life Decision-Making.

Critical care providers are responsible for many aspects of patient care, primarily focusing on preserving life. However, nearly 40% of patients who are admitted to an adult critical care unit will not survive. Initiating a conversation about end-of-life decision-making is a daunting task. Often, health care providers are not trained, experienced, or comfortable facilitating these conversations. This article describes a quality improvement project that identified current views on end-of-life communication in the intensive care unit and potential barriers that obstruct open discussion, and offering strategies for improvement.

Pediatric Noninvasive Ventilation.

Noninvasive ventilation has been available for many years for use in the pediatric population. Historically, continuous positive airway pressure and bilevel positive airway pressure modes were used for respiratory diseases, including neonatal apnea, bronchiolitis, asthma, and pneumonia. Newer studies suggest that noninvasive ventilation is also an effective and safe mode for support of children with acute respiratory distress syndrome and respiratory failure. The newest type of noninvasive respiratory support is high flow nasal cannula, which has gained popularity in the past few years and its use is being justified in the literature. Studies have shown that these therapies can decrease the need for intubation and ventilation, decrease length of intensive care days, and increase patient comfort. Additional research is needed to support optimal setting selection and recommendations for the use of noninvasive therapies for infants and children.

Hiring appropriate providers for different populations: acute care nurse practitioners.

Acute care nurse practitioners, prepared as providers for a variety of populations of patients, continue to make substantial contributions to health care. Evidence indicates shorter stays, higher satisfaction among patients, increased work efficiency, and higher quality outcomes when acute care nurse practitioners are part of unit- or service-based provider teams. The Consensus Model for APRN Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification, and Education outlines detailed guidelines for matching nurse practitioners' education with certification and practice by using a population-focused algorithm. Despite national support for the model, nurse practitioners and employers continue to struggle with finding the right fit. Nurse practitioners often use their interest and previous nursing experience to apply for an available position, and hospitals may not understand preparation or regulations related to matching the appropriate provider to the work environment. Evidence and regulatory guidelines indicate appropriate providers for population-focused positions. This article presents history and recommendations for hiring acute care nurse practitioners as providers for different populations of patients.

Typhilitis in the pediatric patient.

Cancer statistics in children are promising as mortality rates consistently decrease, reflecting newer chemotherapeutic agents and the evolution of hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Typhilitis or neutropenic enterocolitis is a potentially life-threatening complication of cancer treatment often found in immunocompromised children receiving vigorous chemotherapeutic regimens and noted in children post-stem-cell transplant. Recent literature suggests a relationship between typhilitis and other types of cancers and immunocompromised illness occurring in both children and adults. The pathogenesis of typhilitis is poorly understood, with limited evidence regarding incidence. Nursing care and assessment of children receiving oncologic treatment requires vigilance and immediate response to prevent and manage complications, especially gastrointestinally related typhilitis.

Oncological emergencies in the pediatric intensive care unit.

The overall 5-year survival rate of children with cancer has now reached 77%, an increase of about 45% in the past 25 years. Newer therapies, including hematopoietic cell transplantation and cutting edge chemotherapeutics evolving in the form of molecular and biological cell targeted agents, are being researched and developed and are responsible for the change in survival rates over time. Also, despite the national trend toward hospice and palliative care, children with chronic and life threatening illnesses, continue to die in the hospital setting, often in the intensive care unit. Previous studies of children with complications of cancer and its therapy document poor outcomes among those who do require intensive care. These trends are changing, however, currently leaving a hopeful, optimistic view of the outcome in children with cancer complications admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. It is imperative that nurses and intensive care staff understand pediatric cancer and its potential emergent consequences in order to respond to the symptoms of life threatening events.