Visita de los menores de edad en una unidad de cuidados intensivos. ¿Qué opina el personal sanitario? / Visit of minors in an intensive care unit. What is the opinion of health staff?

OBJETIVO: Determinar las opiniones del equipo asistencial (EA) ante la visita de menores en una unidad de cuidados intensivos de adultos. MÉTODO: Estudio descriptivo transversal en una unidad de cuidados intensivos de adultos con un EA de 62 personas, entre septiembre-diciembre 2017. Se utilizó el cuestionario de Knutsson con 10 preguntas cerradas con espacio para comentarios y 2 abiertas. Selección de los encuestados mediante muestreo de conveniencia. Estadística descriptiva con frecuencias absolutas y porcentajes. Prueba de Chi2 o Fisher. Significación p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Se recogieron 61 cuestionarios: 70,5% correspondían a personal de enfermería (PE). El 50% de profesionales médicos (PM) restringiría la entrada de menores de 0-6 años frente al 76,2% de PE (p = 0,04). Entre 7-12 años, el 16,7% de PM la limitaría frente al 46,5% del PE (p = 0,02). El 75% del EA opinó que la entrada podía significar riesgo de infección para el menor. El 60% creyó que el entorno podía intimidarlo y el 66,7% que podía impresionarlo el estado del paciente. Permitirían la entrada de menores de 0-6 años, si el paciente se estuviera muriendo (70,6% PM y 41% PE) p = 0,04), despierto (77,8% PM y 57,5% PE) o parentesco cercano (padre/madre) (66,7% PM y 60% PE). CONCLUSIONES: El EA es partidario de la visita con una edad > 6 años. En circunstancias especiales: parentesco cercano, paciente despierto o muerte son más permisivos independientemente de la edad. Los motivos de restricción son: entorno, estado y riesgo de infección. El PE es más restrictivo ante la visita

AIM: To determine the opinion of healthcare staff (HS) on the presence of minors in an adult intensive care unit. METHOD: Transversal descriptive research study in an adult intensive care unit with 62 people, between September/December 2017. The Knutsson questionnaire was used with 10 closed questions with space for comments, and 2 open questions. Selection of the respondents was by means of convenience sampling. Descriptive statistics with absolute frequencies and percentages. Chi-squared-test or Fisher. Significance p < .05. RESULTS: 61 questionnaires were collected: 70.5% nursing staff (NS). Fifty percent of medical staff (MS) would restrict the entry of 0 to 6-year old minors versus 76.2% NS (p = .04). Of the MS, 16.7% would restrict the visits of minors between the ages of 7 and 12 versus 46.5% NS (p=.02). Seventy-five percent of HS thought that minors' access could entail a risk of infection for the children. Of the survey respondents, 60% believed that the environment could intimidate the minor, and 66.7% thought that the patient's condition could affect the child. They would permit 0-6-year-old minors to access the ICU if the patient was dying (70.6% MS/41% NS, p = .04), awake and alert (77.8% MS/57.5% NE) and close relatives (parents) (66.7% MS/60% NS). CONCLUSIONS: HS support minors visiting an adult adult intensive care unit if they are > 6 years old. HS show a more positive attitude towards visits in special circumstances such as close relatives, awake patient, and death regardless of their age. The reasons for restriction of visits are: environment, patient's condition and risk of infection. NS show a less positive attitude in relation to visits

Visit of minors in an intensive care unit. What is the opinion of health staff? / Visita de los menores de edad en una unidad de cuidados intensivos. ¿Qué opina el personal sanitario?

AIM: To determine the opinion of healthcare staff (HS) on the presence of minors in an adult intensive care unit. METHOD: Transversal descriptive research study in an adult intensive care unit with 62 people, between September/December 2017. The Knutsson questionnaire was used with 10 closed questions with space for comments, and 2 open questions. Selection of the respondents was by means of convenience sampling. Descriptive statistics with absolute frequencies and percentages. Chi-squared-test or Fisher. Significance p<.05. RESULTS: 61 questionnaires were collected: 70.5% nursing staff (NS). Fifty percent of medical staff (MS) would restrict the entry of 0 to 6-year old minors versus 76.2% NS (p=.04). Of the MS, 16.7% would restrict the visits of minors between the ages of 7 and 12 versus 46.5% NS (p=.02). Seventy-five percent of HS thought that minors' access could entail a risk of infection for the children. Of the survey respondents, 60% believed that the environment could intimidate the minor, and 66.7% thought that the patient's condition could affect the child. They would permit 0-6-year-old minors to access the ICU if the patient was dying (70.6% MS/41% NS, p=.04), awake and alert (77.8% MS/57.5% NE) and close relatives (parents) (66.7% MS/60% NS). CONCLUSIONS: HS support minors visiting an adult adult intensive care unit if they are>6 years old. HS show a more positive attitude towards visits in special circumstances such as close relatives, awake patient, and death regardless of their age. The reasons for restriction of visits are: environment, patient's condition and risk of infection. NS show a less positive attitude in relation to visits.