David R. Baker

Objective: Fluid overload (FO) after pediatric septic shock resuscitation increases the risk of secondary organ failure and long-term morbidity. We hypothesized that early hemodynamic point-of-care ultrasound (hPOCUS) use in pediatric septic shock would be associated with decreased FO. Methods: Retrospective, observational study between 2015 and 2018 in a large academic Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of children < 18 years receiving ≥ 40 mL/kg of bolus fluids or vasoactive infusion for treatment of septic shock. %FO and severe FO (%FO ≥ 15%) at 72 h after shock onset were compared between children with hPOCUS exposure < 6 h after shock onset and those without. %FO was calculated: [(fluid in – out)/weight on PICU admission]*100. The association between hPOCUS < 6 h after septic shock onset and %FO and severe FO were evaluated. Results: Of 591 children included, 115 (19.4%) had hPOCUS within 6 h. Children with early hPOCUS vs. without had higher PIM-3; median 4.3, IQR 2.9–9.4 vs. 3.2, IQR 0.9–5.7, p = 0.0012. %FO was not significantly different in the early hPOCUS group, median difference -1.6%, 95% CI -3.2 to 0.03, p = 0.06. After controlling for confounders, %FO was significantly lower in the early hPOCUS group, ß-coefficient= -2.76, 95% CI -4.7 to -0.6, p = 0.012. Those with early hPOCUS had lower occurrence of severe FO 11.3% vs. 22.9%, p = 0.006; adjusted OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.76, p = 0.005. Conclusions: Early hPOCUS assessment during septic shock resuscitation was independently associated with decreased FO. Prospective research is needed to optimize hPOCUS use in pediatric septic shock management.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) use on clinicians within a PICU and to assess infrastructural elements of our POCUS program development. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SETTING: Large academic, noncardiac PICU in the United States. SUBJECTS: Patients in a PICU who had diagnostic POCUS performed. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2022, 7201 diagnostic POCUS studies were ordered; 1930 (26.8%) had a quality assurance (QA) record generated in an independent POCUS QA database. The cardiac domain was most frequently imaged (81.0% of ordered studies, 81.2% of reviewed studies). POCUS images changed clinician understanding of pathophysiology in 563 of 1930 cases (29.2%); when this occurred, management was changed in 318 of 563 cases (56.5%). Cardiac POCUS studies altered clinician suspected pathophysiology in 30.1% of cases (472/1568), compared with 21.5% (91/362) in noncardiac studies (p = 0.06). Among cases where POCUS changed clinician understanding, management changed more often following cardiac than noncardiac POCUS (p = 0.02). Clinicians identified a need for cardiology consultation or complete echocardiograms in 294 of 1568 cardiac POCUS studies (18.8%). Orders for POCUS imaging increased by 94.9%, and revenue increased by 159.4%, from initial to final study year. QA database use by both clinicians and reviewers decreased annually as QA processes evolved in the setting of technologic growth and unit expansion. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnostic POCUS imaging in the PICU frequently yields information that alters diagnosis and changes management. As PICU POCUS use increased, QA processes evolved resulting in decreased use of our initial QA database. Modifications to QA processes are likely necessary as clinical contexts change over time.

Poor handover and inadequate transmission of clinical information between shifts can result in patient harm. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of implementing a handover protocol on the quality of information exchanged in the trauma handover meetings in a UK district general hospital. A prospective single centre observational study was performed at an acute NHS trust, using the define, measure, analyse, improve and control (DMAIC) methodology. Ten consecutive weekday trauma meetings, involving 43 patients, were observed to identify poor practices in handover. This data was used in conjunction with the Royal College of Surgeon’s recommendations for effective handover (2007) to create a standard operating protocol (SOP). Following the implementation of the SOP, a further eight consecutive weekday trauma meetings, involving a further 47 patients, were observed. The data collection was performed by five trained independent observers. The data was analysed using t-test for quantitative variables and chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests for categorical variables. An improvement in the trauma handover was demonstrated in multiple aspects of handover including patient’s past medical history, injury date, results, diagnosis, consent, mark and starvation status (all p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses showed that handover of neck of femur patients including information on mobility (p = 0.04), Nottingham Hip Fracture Score (p = 0.01), next of kin discussion (p = 0.075) and resuscitation status (p = 0.001) all improved following our interventions. These results demonstrate that the implementation of a well-structured handover protocol can improve the transmission of critical information in trauma meetings.