Evaluating a Health Equity Podcast for Provider Practice Change: A Cross-sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Podcasts are effective tools for disseminating health education. This study aimed to disseminate a health equity curriculum on best practices. METHOD: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted as part of the Health Equity in Pediatrics podcast series between May and June 2023. Listeners were surveyed following each episode, and both quantitative and qualitative responses of voluntary respondents were analyzed. RESULTS: Episodes were downloaded 4,095 times. Survey respondents (n = 66) reported increased knowledge and intended practice change inspired by the podcast. Qualitative responses included themes surrounding knowledge, appreciation, and practice change. DISCUSSION: Podcasts are easily disseminated to wide audiences and can improve health equity knowledge while inspiring practice change. This style can help listeners identify practices that suggest implicit bias and implement more equitable best practices. Future research should examine implicit bias training and standardization of health equity education using podcasts.

Newborn and infant vision screening in primary care: A clinical review.

PURPOSE: Newborn and infant vision screening is an essential component of the health promotion visit, where the provider screens for ocular risk factors and abnormalities that may cause future impairment or vision loss. Providers may underestimate the importance of screening or find neonatal vision assessments difficult due to poor patient cooperation or time-consuming exams, but the reversibility of vision impairment in infants makes early detection paramount to proper treatment. This article provides a clinical review of evidence-based, practical guidance to providers who care for infants from birth through 6 months of age in the primary care setting. CONCLUSIONS: The comprehensive eye exam in infants should include a thorough history and physical examination of eye structures, visual acuity, evaluation of extraocular movements and alignment, and assessment of the red reflex. Recommended exam maneuvers differ with age as visual acuity improves and development advances through infancy. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Early detection of ocular pathology is critical to avoid permanent vision loss, serious morbidity, and even mortality. The seemingly complex vision screening exam can be completed with little to no cooperation from the patient when a competent pediatric healthcare provider prioritizes opportunistic exam maneuvers. The opportunistic exam allows providers to maximize efficiency while maintaining thorough technique during vision exams and screenings.

Evaluation of a Nurse-Initiated Acute Gastroenteritis Pathway in the Pediatric Emergency Department.

PROBLEM: Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a common illness treated in the emergency department. Delays in initiating rehydration for children with mild or moderate dehydration from AGE can lead to prolonged ED visits and increased resource utilization that do not provide prognostic value or support family-centered care. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to promote early oral rehydration therapy (ORT) for persons with AGE in an attempt to reduce unnecessary resource utilization and length of stay (LOS). METHODS: This prospective quality improvement project used a nurse-initiated waiting room ORT pathway for patients 6 months to 21 years of age who presented to the emergency department with diarrhea with or without vomiting. Outcomes related to nurse-initiated ORT, intravenous fluid use, laboratory studies or diagnostic imaging, and LOS were measured before and after implementation. RESULTS: Of 643 patients for whom the pathway was initiated, 392 received nurse-initiated care. The proportion of intravenous fluid use was 10.2% lower (odds ratio [OR], 0.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27-0.68) and laboratory test ordering was 7.4% lower (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.43-0.94) in patients receiving nurse-initiated care. Time to discharge after provider examination was 46 minutes faster in the nurse-initiated care group (P < .001), resulting in an overall LOS reduction by 40 minutes (P < .001). IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Nurse autonomy in using an AGE pathway facilitates evidence-based practice, improves ED efficiency, and decreases resource utilization and LOS. Future research should focus on family satisfaction and ED revisits within 72 hours of discharge.

Development of Pediatric Emergency Protocols and Communication Plans in Pediatric Radiation Oncology: Multidisciplinary Core Competencies.

Radiation therapy is an essential component of treatment for many pediatric cancers, yet the cost of maintaining a radiation facility at a dedicated pediatric center is often prohibitive. As a result, adult facilities treat pediatric patients where preparation for a pediatric emergency may be inadequate. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to develop a multidisciplinary emergency preparedness plan for a collaborative pediatric radiation oncology program at an adult community hospital with its partnering academic children's hospital. Using a cyclical process involving multidisciplinary collaboration that combines policy development, preparation, and team-building, the authors created the protocols and processes that would support the stabilization of a pediatric emergency and facilitate transfer to the partnering children's hospital. Further development of a communication plan outlines the flow of patient information through the multidisciplinary team during these transitions of care. Areas for future work include quantitative outcome measures to determine the effectiveness of the policies and procedures developed to prepare staff for pediatric emergencies.

Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Pediatric Acute Gastroenteritis in the Outpatient Setting.

Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a common illness in childhood that usually can be treated in the outpatient setting. Inaccurate assessment or delayed treatment of AGE can lead to an increased risk for invasive interventions. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL Plus, the Cochrane Library, and Embase. Results of the query were refined to narrow the focus of relevant studies for the provider caring for dehydrated children in the outpatient setting. Use of clinical dehydration scales to assess the level of dehydration and early initiation of oral rehydration therapy promote optimal patient outcomes. Oral rehydration therapy remains the best means of rehydrating, and ondansetron is a safe and effective adjunct to help children with persistent vomiting. The purpose of this practice guideline is to identify best practices for AGE in children older than 6 months with symptoms for less than 7 days who are being cared for in the outpatient setting.