ABSTRACT
In this retrospective analysis, the Newborn Life Support (NLS) test scenario performance of participants of the Dutch Neonatal Advanced Life Support (NALS) course was assessed. Characteristics of participants and total amount of failures were collected. Failures were subdivided in (1) errors of omission; (2) errors of commission; and (3) unspecified if data was missing. Pearson's chi-squared test was used to assess differences between participant groups. In total, 23 out of 86 participants (27%) failed their NLS test scenario. Life support course instructors in general (20/21) passed their test scenario more often compared to other participants (43/65) (p = 0.008). In total 110 fail items were recorded; the most common errors being not assessing heart rate (error of omission) (n = 47) and inadequate performance of airway management (error of commission) (n = 24).Conclusion: A substantial part of NALS participants failed their NLS test scenario. Errors of omission could be reduced by the availability of a checklist/NLS algorithm. Life support course instructors possibly make less errors of commission due to retention of skills by teaching these skills at least twice a year. Therefore, our study suggests that neonatal basic life support skills should be retained by local assurance of training programmes. What is Known: ⢠Retention of skills after life support courses decreases after three months. ⢠Adherence to newborn life support guidelines is suboptimal. What is New: ⢠NLS performance is suboptimal in participants for advanced neonatal life support. ⢠Most common failures are not assessing heart rate and inadequate airway management.
Subject(s)
Airway Management , Resuscitation , Checklist , Clinical Competence , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
AIM: To evaluate the management and guideline adherence in children with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) in emergency departments (ED) in the Netherlands. METHODS: A multicentre cohort study was conducted, including children younger than 18 years with MTBI who presented within 24 hours after trauma in the ED of hospitals in the southwest region of the Netherlands, in 2014. Primary outcome measures for management were percentages of performed computed tomography (CT) scans and hospital admissions. Guideline adherence was defined as percentages of correctly following the guideline. Secondary outcome measures were differences in management and guideline adherence between hospitals. RESULTS: About 563 patients were analysed. Hospital admission was the most frequently performed management type (49.2% hospital admission vs. 30.9% CT). In only 49.7% of patients, the guideline was followed correctly. A substantial overuse of hospital admission (35%) and underuse of CT (40.1%) were found. Percentages of hospital admission and CT varied between 39.4-55.6% and 23.3-44.1%, respectively, across hospitals. Percentages of correctly following the guideline varied between 39.2-64.9% across hospitals. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that physicians in the participating hospitals prefer hospital admission of children with MTBI instead of CT despite the current recommendations of the national MTBI guideline in the Netherlands.
Subject(s)
Brain Injuries, Traumatic/psychology , Brain Injuries, Traumatic/therapy , Developmental Disabilities/etiology , Disease Management , Guideline Adherence , Patient Compliance , Adolescent , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Brain Injuries, Traumatic/complications , Brain Injuries, Traumatic/diagnostic imaging , Child , Child, Preschool , Cohort Studies , Developmental Disabilities/diagnostic imaging , Emergency Service, Hospital , Female , Glasgow Coma Scale , Hospitalization , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Netherlands , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
Objective. To report the irreversible severe neurological symptoms following the hyponatremic hypertensive syndrome (HHS) in an infant after umbilical arterial catheterization. Design. Case report with review of the literature. Setting. Neonatal intensive care unit at a tertiary care children's hospital. Patient. A three-week-old preterm infant. Conclusions. In evaluating a neonate with hyponatremia and hypertension, HHS should be considered, especially in case of umbilical arterial catheterization. In case of diagnostic delay, there is a risk of severe irreversible neurological damage.
Subject(s)
Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9 , Monosomy , Chromosome Banding , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Nucleic Acid HybridizationABSTRACT
We report a 3-year-old boy with influenza A virus-associated encephalopathy. The diagnosis was based on clinical findings, magnetic resonance imaging, repeated isolation of influenza A virus from nasopharyngeal aspirate and seroconversion between acute and convalescent sera. The clinical picture was characterized by fever and aphasia followed by seizures and a rapid deterioriation of consciousness 2 days later. This patient illustrates that influenza A-associated encephalopathy with severe neurological deficit can occur with atypical distribution of brain lesions during the course of the illness, while initial brain MRI and laboratory findings of cerebrospinal fluid are normal, including reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.
