Development and Implementation of a Quick Response (QR) Code System to Streamline the Process for Fellows' Evaluation in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at a Large Academic Center.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Useful feedback and evaluation are critical to a medical trainee's development. While most academic physicians understand that giving feedback to learners is essential, many do not consider the components of feedback to be truly useful, and there are barriers to implementation. We sought to use a quick reader (QR) system to solicit feedback for trainees in two pediatric subspecialties (pediatric critical care and neonatal-perinatal medicine) at one institution to increase the quality and quantity of feedback received. METHODS: New valuations were modified from the existing evaluations and imported into online systems with QR code capability. Each fellow was given a QR code linking to evaluations and encouraged to solicit feedback and evaluations in a variety of clinical settings and scenarios. Evaluation numbers and quality of evaluations were assessed and compared both pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: There were increases in the number of evaluations completed for both the pediatric critical care fellows and the neonatal-perinatal medicine fellows. There was no overall change in the quality of written evaluations received. Satisfaction with the evaluation system improved for both faculty and fellows of both training programs. CONCLUSION: In our critical care units, we were successfully able to implement a QR code-driven evaluation for our fellows that improved access for the faculty and offered the ability of the learner to solicit evaluations, without compromising the number or quality of evaluations. What's new: Quick reader (QR) codes can be used by learners to solicit evaluations and feedback from faculty. They can increase the quantity of written evaluations received without affecting their quality.

Virtual Adaptation of Empathetic Communication Training for Pediatric Interns.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate feasibility and effectiveness of virtual adaptation of in-person simulation-based empathetic communication training. METHODS: Pediatric interns participated in virtual training session then completed post-session and 3 months follow up surveys. RESULTS: Self-reported preparedness on the skills all improved significantly. The interns report the educational value as extremely high both immediately after and 3 months after training. 73% of the interns report using the skills at least weekly. CONCLUSION: A 1 day virtual simulation-based communication training is feasible, well received, and similarly effective as in-person training.

Understanding the Factors that Determine a Fellow's Choice in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine and How They Establish Their Rank List.

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about why neonatology fellows pick the fellowship program they do. Understanding why fellows choose neonatology and rank their programs would be of benefit to program leadership and to other applicants. STUDY DESIGN: This was a survey study sent to current neonatology fellows in the United States between September 2020 and October 2020, and were asked to rank their choices on a Likert scale. Respondents were also able to give free text responses to open-ended questions. RESULTS: The most important factor fellows state for choosing their program was location, with multiple reasons given. There were significant differences in how certain subgroups ranked programs. CONCLUSION: Location of the fellowship program is the most important factor for fellows. There are differences within subgroups of fellows on how they rank their fellowship program. Fellowship directors can use this information to better inform selections on who to interview and how to rank fellows. KEY POINTS: · Patient population appears to be the most important reason why fellows choose neonatology.. · Program location is the most important reason why fellows choose their specific training program.. · Fellowships can continue to highlight fellow camaraderie, scholarship, and clinical opportunities..

Risk Factors for Foster Care Placement in Patients with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

OBJECTIVE: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a major cause of morbidity in neonates and can be associated with long hospitalization and high health care utilization. This extremely stressful situation can be difficult for many families and caregivers. The high-risk situation combined with increased medical complexity can result in involvement of Department of Child Services (DCS) and even foster care placement. This study seeks to define risk factors for DCS involvement and foster care placement in children with BPD. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study of children born at less than 32 weeks of gestation born between 2010 and 2016, on oxygen at 28 days of life and discharged home from a tertiary care center. RESULTS: A total of 246 patients were identified. DCS was involved in 49 patients with 13 requiring foster care placement. The most common correlated risk factors that were identified for DCS involvement were maternal THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) positivity, hospital policy violations, maternal mental health diagnosis, and home insecurity. Home insecurity (p < 0.005) and amphetamine use (p < 0.005) were associated with foster care placement. CONCLUSION: There are numerous risk factors for both DCS and foster care placement. The identification of these risk factors is important to help establish services to help families and identify potential biases to avoid. KEY POINTS: · There were both substance-related and non-substance-related risk factors for DCS involvement.. · Home insecurity and maternal amphetamine use were risk factors associated with foster care placement.. · This study fills the knowledge gap of risk factors for DCS and foster care placement in BPD..

Medical and surgical interventions and outcomes for infants with trisomy 18 (T18) or trisomy 13 (T13) at children's hospitals neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

OBJECTIVES: To examine characteristics and outcomes of T18 and T13 infants receiving intensive surgical and medical treatment compared to those receiving non-intensive treatment in NICUs. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort of infants in the Children's Hospitals National Consortium (CHNC) from 2010 to 2016 categorized into three groups by treatment received: surgical, intensive medical, or non-intensive. RESULTS: Among 467 infants admitted, 62% received intensive medical treatment; 27% received surgical treatment. The most common surgery was a gastrostomy tube. Survival in infants who received surgeries was 51%; intensive medical treatment was 30%, and non-intensive treatment was 72%. Infants receiving surgeries spent more time in the NICU and were more likely to receive oxygen and feeding support at discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Infants with T13 or T18 at CHNC NICUs represent a select group for whom parents may have desired more intensive treatment. Survival to NICU discharge was possible, and surviving infants had a longer hospital stay and needed more discharge supports.

Teaching Empathic Communication to Pediatric Interns: Immediate and 3-Month Impact.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate pediatric intern self-reported preparedness to Deliver Serious News, Express Empathy, and Medical Error Disclosure after a 1-day simulation based-empathic communication training. Additionally, we sought to evaluate self-reported use of communication skills and describe the clinical scenarios in which the skills were used. METHODS: Pediatric interns completed the survey immediately and 3 months after participating in the communication course. RESULTS: Self-reported preparedness to Deliver Serious News, Express Empathy, and Medical Error Disclosure all significantly improved. At 3 months, 73.9% of respondents reported using the skills at least weekly and 62% described the clinical scenarios in which they used skills. These descriptions show an ability to use the skills appropriately, and in some cases apply the skills in advanced, more difficult scenarios. CONCLUSION: A 1 day simulation-based reflective teaching course for pediatric interns is an effective way to teach empathic communication skills. They feel more prepared to deliver serious news, respond with empathy and disclose a medical error. In addition, the interns value the training as a part of their education and report using the skills in appropriate scenarios at 3 months.

Inter-center variation in autopsy practices among regional neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

OBJECTIVE: To characterize infants who underwent autopsy in regional neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and examine inter-center variability in autopsy completion. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of infants who died between 2010 and 2016 from 32 participating hospitals in the Children's Hospital Neonatal Database (CHND). Maternal/infant demographics and hospital stay data were collected, along with autopsy rates by center, year, and region. Data analysis utilized bivariate and multivariable statistics. RESULT: Of 6299 deaths, 1742 (27.7%) completed autopsy. Infants who underwent autopsy had higher median birth weight (2 124 g vs. 1 655 g) and gestational age (34 vs. 32 weeks). No differences were seen in sex, length of stay, or primary cause of death. Marked inter-center variability was observed, with 17-fold adjusted difference (p < 0.001) in autopsy rates. CONCLUSION: Patient characteristics do not account for variability in autopsy practices across regional NICUs. Factors such as provider practices and parental preferences should be investigated.

Feeding Outcomes for Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Discharged on Nasogastric Feeds.

OBJECTIVE: While previous studies regarding neonatal home feeding regimens have demonstrated a more favorable prognosis for nasogastric (NG) versus gastrostomy tubes (GT), institutional practices of discharge on NG feeds are varied, particularly for infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Little is known regarding the risk factors for patients treated with GT postdischarge in premature infants with BPD. Our objective was to identify frequency and risk factors for treating premature infants with BPD discharged on NG feeds with GT. STUDY DESIGN: In this retrospective study, we included infants born at 30 weeks' gestational age with BPD transitioning from a tertiary care center to home on NG feeds from 2010 to 2016. RESULTS: Of the 86 infants included in this study, 25 (29%) underwent GT placement at a median age of 264 days postdischarge. Fourteen (56%) were able to remove the GT at a median age of 979.5 days. Infants not requiring GT placement postdischarge were found to have a significantly higher ccipitofrontal circumference (p = 0.0089) and length (p = 0.0166) at discharge compared with infants with GT. CONCLUSION: NG feeding for infants with BPD appears to be a viable treatment with fewer patients (29%) requiring GT placement. Gestational age and abnormal magnetic resonance imaging results were found to have a significant association with GT placement postdischarge.

Neonatal palliative care: perception differences between providers.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe differences and identify education gaps in the perception of palliative care (PC) between neonatal care providers in a Level IV Neonatal intensive care unit. STUDY DESIGN: This is a descriptive survey mixed methods study. Email surveys were sent to social workers, pharmacists, dieticians, nurses, respiratory therapists, fellows and faculty in November of 2018. Total number of respondents was 181 with a response rate of 56%. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences between faculty and non-faculty were found in regards to benefits of early PC consults, need for automatic consults for certain diagnosis and the frequency of PC consults. CONCLUSION: The perception of PC differs greatly between faculty and non-faculty. Educational initiatives surrounding PC and communication along with instituting automatic consults for certain diagnosis could help bridge this difference in perception and educational gap.

Pediatric Resident Perception and Participation in End-of-Life Care.

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in medical care, pediatric deaths are still an unfortunate reality. Most of these deaths occur within a hospital setting. End-of-life care is an important part of medical care for children with serious illnesses. Despite the importance, pediatric providers report a lack of comfort surrounding end-of-life care. OBJECTIVE: To assess categorical pediatric residents' perceptions and participation in providing end-of-life care to dying children and their families. STUDY DESIGN: This is a survey-based, descriptive, mixed-methods study. Survey was sent to categorical pediatric residents at Indiana University School of Medicine in June 2018 to obtain both quantitative and qualitative information on resident perception and participation in end-of-life care. Surveys were sent to 100 residents with a response rate of 68%. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Pediatric residents at Indiana University School of Medicine. RESULTS: The comfort and participation in end-of-life care are limited in all levels of pediatric training. Residents do not feel comfortable with 19 of 22 questions related to end-of-life care. Only 32% of residents felt their education prepared them to participate in end-of-life care. Almost one-fifth (19.5%) of residents report participating in zero aspect of end-of-life care. Themes discussed by residents include education, experience, communication, social norms, emotions, self-care, comfort, and family. CONCLUSION: More formalized education and training is needed to increase resident comfort with and participation in end-of-life care. Such future interventions should focus on communication surrounding difficult conversations and providing guidance for families.

Center, Gestational Age, and Race Impact End-of-Life Care Practices at Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of intercenter variation and patient factors on end-of-life care practices for infants who die in regional neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis using the Children's Hospital Neonatal Database during 2010-2016. A total of 6299 nonsurviving infants cared for in 32 participating regional NICUs were included to examine intercenter variation and the effects of gestational age, race, and cause of death on 3 end-of-life care practices: do not attempt resuscitation orders (DNR), cardiopulmonary resuscitation within 6 hours of death (CPR), and withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies (WLST). Factors associated with these practices were used to develop a multivariable equation. RESULTS: Dying infants in the cohort underwent DNR (55%), CPR (21%), and WLST (73%). Gestational age, cause of death, and race were significantly and differently associated with each practice: younger gestational age (<28 weeks) was associated with CPR (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.5-2.1) but not with DNR or WLST, and central nervous system injury was associated with DNR (1.6, 1.3-1.9) and WLST (4.8, 3.7-6.2). Black race was associated with decreased odds of WLST (0.7, 0.6-0.8). Between centers, practices varied widely at different gestational ages, race, and causes of death. CONCLUSIONS: From the available data on end-of-life care practices for regional NICU patients, variability appears to be either individualized or without consistency.

SERPINB12 Is a Slow-Binding Inhibitor of Granzyme A and Hepsin.

The clade B/intracellular serpins protect cells from peptidase-mediated injury by forming covalent complexes with their targets. SERPINB12 is expressed in most tissues, especially at cellular interfaces with the external environment. This wide tissue distribution pattern is similar to that of granzyme A (GZMA). Because SERPINB12 inhibits trypsin-like serine peptidases, we determined whether it might also neutralize GZMA. SERPINB12 formed a covalent complex with GZMA and inhibited the enzyme with typical serpin slow-binding kinetics. SERPINB12 also inhibited Hepsin. SERPINB12 may function as an endogenous inhibitor of these peptidases.

Human SERPINB12 Is an Abundant Intracellular Serpin Expressed in Most Surface and Glandular Epithelia.

The intracellular serine protease inhibitors (serpins) are an important family of proteins that protect cells form proteinase-mediated injury. Understanding the tissue and cellular expression pattern of this protein family can provide important insights into their physiologic roles. For example, high expression in epithelial tissues, such as lung, may suggest a biologic function in cellular defense, secretion, or selective absorption. Although the expression pattern of many of the intracellular serpins has been well described, one member of this class, SERPINB12, has not been carefully examined. We generated a mouse monoclonal antibody directed against human SERPINB12 and delineated its specificity and tissue and cell type distribution pattern through immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry, respectively. This monoclonal antibody was human specific and did not cross-react with other human intracellular serpins or mouse Serpinb12. SERPINB12 was found in nearly all the tissues investigated. In addition, this serpin was found in multiple cell types within individual tissues but primarily the epithelium. These data suggest that SERPINB12, like some other intracellular serpins, may play a vital role in barrier function by providing protection of epithelial cells.

Non-microfluidic methods for imaging live C. elegans.

There are many challenges to live Caenorhabditis elegans imaging including the high motility of the animals and sustaining their viability for extended periods of time. Commonly used anesthetics to immobilize the C. elegans for imaging purpose prevents feeding of the animals and can cause cellular physiologic changes. Here we present three adapted or novel methodologies to image live C. elegans over different imaging microscopy equipment to allow for visualization of animals by DIC and fluorescence without the use of microfluidic technologies. The methods present here use common microscopy consumables and equipment found in many imaging core facilities and can be easily adapted to fit on multiple microscopy systems.