Psychological impact of working in paediatric intensive care. A UK-wide prevalence study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of work-related psychological distress in staff working in UK paediatric intensive care units (PICU). DESIGN: Online (Qualtrics) staff questionnaire, conducted April to May 2018. SETTING: Staff working in 29 PICUs and 10 PICU transport services were invited to participate. PARTICIPANTS: 1656 staff completed the survey: 1194 nurses, 270 physicians and 192 others. 234 (14%) respondents were male. Median age was 35 (IQR 28-44). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Moral Distress Scale-Revised (MDS-R) was used to look at moral distress, the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory to examine the depersonalisation and emotional exhaustion domains of burnout, and the Trauma Screening Questionnaire (TSQ) to assess risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). RESULTS: 435/1194 (36%) nurses, 48/270 (18%) physicians and 19/192 (10%) other staff scored above the study threshold for moral distress (≥90 on MDS-R) (χ2 test, p<0.00001). 594/1194 (50%) nurses, 99/270 (37%) physicians and 86/192 (45%) other staff had high burnout scores (χ2 test, p=0.0004). 366/1194 (31%) nurses, 42/270 (16%) physicians and 21/192 (11%) other staff scored at risk for PTSD (χ2 test, p<0.00001). Junior nurses were at highest risk of moral distress and PTSD, and junior doctors of burnout. Larger unit size was associated with higher MDS-R, burnout and TSQ scores. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that UK PICU staff are experiencing work-related distress. Further studies are needed to understand causation and to develop strategies for prevention and treatment.

Advanced practice in paediatric intensive care: a review.

Advanced nursing roles are one way of encouraging experienced nurses to stay in clinical practice so they can provide expert care, develop practice and be role models for junior staff. A search for literature about advanced nurse practice in paediatric intensive care units in the UK identified just four articles, including one survey, but no reports of empirical research. There is some consensus on the nature and educational requirements for advanced practice but delays in agreeing a regulatory framework and failure to recognise the potential contribution of advanced roles mean that development is hindered. Although several UK units have developed or are developing the role, more insight and better evidence is needed on how nursing can be advanced in paediatric intensive care settings.

Paediatric early warning systems: where do we go from here?

The Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health report published in 2008 recommended that there should be a standardised monitoring system with embedded early identification systems for children at risk of critical illness or deterioration. Recent studies have demonstrated improvement in patient outcomes following the implementation of paediatric early warning scores and response teams in children's units and hospitals. However, it is not enough to use an early warning score in isolation; it needs to be embedded into a paediatric early warning system, with a rationalised approach to the observation and monitoring of hospitalised children. Lessons can be learnt from the adult experience of implementing early warning systems. A national, multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to the development, implementation and evaluation of paediatric early warning systems is recommended.