[Respiratory care in neonatal intensive care units. Situation in the year 2005]. / Asistencia respiratoria en las unidades de cuidados intensivos neonatales en España: situación en 2005.

AIM: To learn the characteristic of the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) that offer neonatal respiratory assistance in Spain. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A structured survey was developed and sent to all Spanish neonatal units to learn about the respiratory care offered in 2005. RESULTS: A total of 96 Units answered the survey, with an estimated representatively of 63%, with a range from 3 to 92%, depending on the geographical area. Level IIIc Units were in the upper range. Answer the survey 26 units type IIb (27%), 16 IIIa (17%), 40 IIIb (42%) and 14 IIIc (14%). The total number of level III NICU beds was 541 (1.2 beds per 1000 livebirths; range, 0.7-1.7). The mean number of beds per NICU was 4.1 in level IIIa Units, 2.8 in those IIIb and 14.6 in type IIIc NICUs. In level III NICUs, the bed per physician ratio was 2.4 and that of beds per registered nurse was 2.8 (2.2 in level IIIc NICUs). There were a total 13,219 admissions, 54% of those needed mechanical ventilation (36% in IIIa and 65% in level IIIc NICUs). Oxygen blenders for resuscitation at birth were available in 42% of level IIIb and IIIc NICUs. NICUs had one neonatal ventilator per bed, and 63% of units had high frequency ventilation available. All units had nasal-CPAP systems, 25% of level IIIa Units, 58% IIIb and 64% of those type IIIc had systems for nasal ventilation. All level IIIc and 93% of level IIIb NICUs were able to provide inhaled nitric oxygen therapy. Four NICUS offered ECMO. CONCLUSIONS: The mean number of NICU beds per 1000 livebirths is within the lower limits of those been recommended, and there were wide variations among different geographical areas. A 54% of those babies admitted to NICUs required mechanical ventilation. The mean number of NICU beds per registered nurse was 2.8. There was an adequate number of neonatal ventilators (one per bed) and 63% were able to provide HFV. All NICUs hand n-CPAP systems.

[Medication prescription and transcription errors in a neonatal unit]. / Errores en la prescripción y transcripción de medicación en una unidad neonatal.

BACKGROUND: Medication errors occur because of pitfalls in one or more of the steps involved in the process of drug administration and should be considered as system errors. They should never be considered as human errors with assignment of responsibility. Rather, their causes should be analyzed to prevent repetition. The ultimate aim should be to improve working procedures to avoid these errors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 122 prescriptions were prospectively analyzed, along with their corresponding transcription to the nursing notes. Their legibility, dose, units, route of administration, and administration interval were evaluated. Units per kilogram of body weight and the use of generic names were also recorded. RESULTS: Prescription errors were detected in 35.2 % of the prescriptions reviewed. The most frequent errors were related to dosing (16.4 %). Analysis of the quality of the prescriptions revealed that 61.5 % of the drugs were prescribed by their generic name, but only 4.1 % specified the dose per kilogram of body weight. Errors were detected in 21.3 % of transcriptions, the most frequent being the absence of the administration route (7.4 %). The generic name was used in 57.4 % of the transcriptions. CONCLUSIONS: In the busy and complex environment of neonatal units, medication errors can be frequent. However, most of these errors are trivial and do not harm patients. Medication errors are indicators of the quality of the healthcare provided. Therefore, their detection and systematic analysis of their causes can contribute to their systematic prevention, thus improving the healthcare delivery process.

[Pulmonary mechanism in preterm neonates without respiratory problems]. / Estudio de la mecánica pulmonar en recién nacidos pretérmino sin problemas respiratorios.

Pulmonary function was measured by computerized pneumotacography in 26 preterm-newborn infants without respiratory problems. Mean (+/- SD) for birth weight, gestation and postnatal age were 2,034 +/- 412 g, 34.1 +/- 1.7 weeks, and 2.2 +/- 1.6 days, respectively. An esophageal balloon, a differential transducer and nasal prongs were used to measure pressure and flow. The following parameters were measured in each respiration by the mean squares method: Dynamic compliance (Cdyn), total respiratory resistance (RRt) and work (WRt), respiratory time constant (KTt), rate (f) and maximal inspiratory and expiratory flows (PIF, PEF). Replication of the method was found to be good, as the differences between two determinations were not significant (p less than 0.05). The mean differences were less than 6.26%. The mean (+/- SD) and the 3rd and 97th percentiles for each parameter were the following: f: 52 +/- 7 (39-66) r.p.m., Tv: 6.6 +/- 1.1 (4.5-8.7) ml/kg, Vmin: 342 +/- 82 (128-502) ml/min, Cdin: 3.7 +/- 1.1 (1.5-6) ml/cm, RRt: 83 +/- 47 (37-204) cm/L/sec, TRt: 27 +/- 15 (2-57.1) g/cm/kg, PIF: 2.2 +/- 0.5 (1.1-3.2) L/min and PEF: 1.9 +/- 0.6 (0.7-3) L/min.

Asistencia respiratoria en las unidades de cuidados intensivos neonatales en España: situación en 2005 / Respiratory care in neonatal intensive care units. Situation in the year 2005

Objetivo: conocer el tipo de unidades de cuidados intensivos neonatales (UCIN) que proporcionan asistencia respiratoria neonatal en España y sus características. Material y método: encuesta multicéntrica estructurada para conocer la actividad asistencial respiratoria prestada por las UCIN en 2005. Resultados: contestaron 96 unidades neonatales con una representatividad estimada en un 63%, con un intervalo entre el 3 y el 92%, según las áreas geográficas; las unidades IIIc se encuentran en el rango superior. Contestaron la encuesta 26 unidades tipo IIb (27%), 16 IIIa (17%), 40 IIIb (42%) y 14 IIIc (14%). Las camas totales de intensivos de nivel III fue de 541 (1,2 camas cada 1.000 recién nacidos vivos; intervalo, 0,7-1,7). La media de camas por unidad fue de 4,1 para las IIIa, 2,8 para las IIIb y 14,6 para las IIIc. En las unidades de nivel III, la relación camas/médicos fue de 2,4 camas/medico y la de camas/enfermeras 2,8 camas/enfermera (2,2 en nivel IIIc). Hubo un total de 13.219 ingresos, de los que el 54% precisó ventilación (el 36% en las IIIa y el 65% en las IIIc). La posibilidad de reanimación en el paritorio con mezcla de gases (aire y oxígeno) sólo la tiene el 42% de las IIIb y IIIc. La relación respirador/cama fue de 1/1; el 63% puede proporcionar ventilación de alta frecuencia (VAF). Todas disponen de sistemas de presión positiva continua nasal (CPAP-n). Sistemas para aplicar ventilación nasal intermitente están disponibles en el 25% de las IIIa, el 58% de las IIIb y el 64% de las IIIc. Todas las IIIc y el 93% de las IIIb pueden proporcionar oxido nítrico inhalado. Cuatro unidades disponían de ECMO. Conclusiones: la media de camas de UCIN de nivel III cada mil nacidos está en el límite bajo de lo recomendable, con notables diferencias regionales. La necesidad de ventilación mecánica fue del 54%. La relación de camas por enfermera fue de 2,8. Existe una buena dotación de respiradores (1 por cama) con alta disponibilidad de VAF (63%). Todas las unidades disponen de CPAP-n (AU)

Aim: To learn the characteristic of the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) that offer neonatal respiratory assistance in Spain. Material and method: A structured survey was developed and sent to all Spanish neonatal units to learn about the respiratory care offered in 2005. Results: A total of 96 Units answered the survey, with an estimated representatively of 63%, with a range from 3 to 92%, depending on the geographical area. Level IIIc Units were in the upper range. Answer the survey 26 units type IIb (27%), 16 IIIa (17%), 40 IIIb (42%) and 14 IIIc (14%). The total number of level III NICU beds was 541 (1.2 beds per 1000 livebirths; range, 0.7–1.7). The mean number of beds per NICU was 4.1 in level IIIa Units, 2.8 in those IIIb and 14.6 in type IIIc NICUs. In level III NICUs, the bed per physician ratio was 2.4 and that of beds per registered nurse was 2.8 (2.2 in level IIIc NICUs). There were a total 13,219 admissions, 54% of those needed mechanical ventilation (36% in IIIa and 65% in level IIIc NICUs). Oxygen blenders for resuscitation at birth were available in 42% of level IIIb and IIIc NICUs. NICUs had one neonatal ventilator per bed, and 63% of units had high frequency ventilation available. All units had nasal-CPAP systems, 25% of level IIIa Units, 58% IIIb and 64% of those type IIIc had systems for nasal ventilation. All level IIIc and 93% of level IIIb NICUs were able to provide inhaled nitric oxygen therapy. Four NICUS offered ECMO. Conclusions: The mean number of NICU beds per 1000 livebirths is within the lower limits of those been recommended, and there were wide variations among different geographical areas. A 54% of those babies admitted to NICUs required mechanical ventilation. The mean number of NICU beds per registered nurse was 2.8. There was an adequate number of neonatal ventilators (one per bed) and 63% were able to provide HFV. All NICUs hand n-CPAP systems (AU)