Implementation of an Analgesia-Sedation Protocol Is Associated With Reduction in Midazolam Usage in the PICU.

OBJECTIVES: Examine the association of a revised analgesia-sedation protocol with midazolam usage in the PICU. DESIGN: A single-center nonrandomized before-after study. SETTING: PICU at a quaternary pediatric hospital (Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA). PATIENTS: Children admitted to the PICU who were mechanically ventilated for greater than 24 hours. The preimplementation cohort included 190 eligible patients admitted between July 29, 2017, and February 28, 2018, and the postimplementation cohort included 144 patients admitted between July 29, 2019, and February 28, 2020. INTERVENTIONS: Implementation of a revised analgesia-sedation protocol. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Our primary outcome, total dose of IV midazolam administered in mechanically ventilated patients up to day 14 of ventilation, decreased by 72% (95% CI [61-80%]; p < 0.001) in the postimplementation cohort. Dexmedetomidine usage increased 230% (95% CI [145-344%]) in the postimplementation cohort. Opioid usage, our balancing metric, was not significantly different between the two cohorts. There were no significant differences in ventilator-free days, PICU length of stay, rate of unplanned extubations, failed extubations, cardiorespiratory arrest events, and 24-hour readmissions to the PICU. CONCLUSIONS: We successfully implemented an analgesia-sedation protocol that primarily uses dexmedetomidine and intermittent opioids, and it was associated with significant decrease in overall midazolam usage in mechanically ventilated patients in the PICU. The intervention was not associated with changes in opioid usage or prevalence of adverse events.

Standardized Protocol Is Associated With a Decrease in Continuous Albuterol Use and Length of Stay in Critical Status Asthmaticus.

OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of this study was to reduce duration of continuous albuterol and hospital length of stay in critically ill children with severe status asthmaticus. DESIGN: Observational prospective study from September 2012 to May 2016. SETTING: Medicine ICU and intermediate care unit. PATIENTS: Children greater than 2 years old with admission diagnosis of status asthmaticus admitted on continuous albuterol and managed via a standardized protocol. INTERVENTIONS: The protocol was an iterative algorithm for escalation and weaning of therapy. The algorithm underwent three revisions. Iteration 1 concentrated on reducing duration on continuous albuterol; iteration 2 concentrated on reducing hospital length of stay; and iteration 3 concentrated on reducing helium-oxygen delivered continuous albuterol. Balancing measures included adverse events and readmissions. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Three-hundred eighty-five patients were treated as follows: 123, 138, and 124 in iterations 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Baseline data was gathered from an additional 150 patients prior to protocol implementation. There was no difference in median age (6 vs 8 vs 7 vs 7 yr; p = 0.130), asthma severity score (9 vs 9 vs 9 vs 9; p = 0.073), or female gender (42% vs 41% vs 43% vs 48%; p = 0.757). Using statistical process control charts, the mean duration on continuous albuterol decreased from 24.9 to 17.5 hours and the mean hospital length of stay decreased from 76 to 49 hours. There was no difference in adverse events (0% vs 1% vs 4% vs 0%; p = 0.054) nor in readmissions (0% vs 0% vs 1% vs 2%; p = 0.254). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a quality improvement protocol in critically ill patients with status asthmaticus was associated with a decrease in continuous albuterol duration and hospital length of stay.

Interdisciplinary development and implementation of communication checklist for postoperative management of pediatric airway patients.

OBJECTIVE: The authors describe their multidisciplinary experience in applying the Institute of Health Improvement methodology to develop a protocol and checklist to reduce communication error during transfer of care for postoperative pediatric surgical airway patients. Preliminary outcome data following implementation of the protocol and checklist are also presented. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study from July 1, 2009, to February 1, 2011. SETTING: Tertiary care center. Subjects. One hundred twenty-six pediatric airway patients who required coordinated care between Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Massachusetts General Hospital. METHODS: Two sentinel events involving airway emergencies demonstrated a critical need for a standardized, comprehensive instrument that would ensure safe transfer of care. After development and implementation of the protocol and checklist, an initial pilot period on the first set of 9 pediatric airway patients was reassessed. Subsequent prospective 11-month follow-up data of 93 pediatric airway patients were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: A multidisciplinary pediatric team developed and implemented a formalized, postoperative checklist and transfer protocol. After implementation of the checklist and transfer protocol, prospective analysis showed no adverse events from miscommunication during transfer of care over the subsequent 11-month period involving 93 pediatric airway patients. CONCLUSION: There has been very little written in the quality and safety patient literature about coordinating effective transfer of care between the pediatric surgical and medical subspecialty realms. After design and implementation of a simple, electronically based transfer-of-care checklist and protocol, the number of postsurgical pediatric airway information transfer and communication errors decreased significantly.