Nurses' and physicians' viewpoints regarding children visiting/not visiting adult ICUs

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Pediatric Health
• Healthcare Professional Perceptions

Background:

• Children visiting adult intensive care units (ICUs) remains controversial with limited recent research.
• Understanding nurses' and physicians' views on pediatric visits to ICUs is crucial for family-centered care.
• Existing research lacks a detailed comparison of healthcare professionals' perspectives on restricting child visits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and compare the reasons nurses and physicians cite for restricting visits by children to adult ICUs.
• To identify differences in views between nurses and physicians regarding children visiting ICUs.
• To explore factors influencing these professional perspectives on pediatric ICU visitation.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative, descriptive, multicenter study involving 291 nurses and physicians.
• Data collected via questionnaires administered in 72 general adult ICUs.
• Analysis focused on reported reasons for restricting visits and demographic/situational factors.

Main Results:

• Majority of nurses and physicians supported children visiting ICUs but imposed restrictions.
• Common restrictions cited: patient's injury severity (50%), frightening environment (50%), infection risk (36% for child, 56% for patient).
• Younger children (<7 years) were restricted more; nurses were more permissive than physicians for younger children's visits. Physicians cited patient condition and noise levels as reasons for refusal.

Conclusions:

• Nurses and physicians continue to restrict children's visits to adult ICUs for various reasons, with differing views between and within professions.
• Discrepancies in professional opinions highlight complexities and potential barriers to implementing family-centered care that includes children.
• A unified approach to care is needed to facilitate inclusive family-centered practices in ICUs.