Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 4, 2026
07:31
Implementation of a Real-Time Psychosis Risk Detection and Alerting System Based on Electronic Health Records using CogStack
Published on: May 15, 2020
8.3K
A Pilot Study to Validate the Burn Center Pediatric Early Warning Score Tool in Clinical Practice
Zahra H Rahman1, Nicole E Leahy, Kelly Sessler
1From the *Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Doha, Qatar; †New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York; and ‡Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York.
Summary
The burn-specific pediatric early warning score (PEWS) effectively detects deterioration in pediatric burn patients. High compliance with PEWS documentation and interventions demonstrates its clinical utility and validation in this population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric critical care
- Burn injury management
- Clinical assessment tools
Background:
- The pediatric early warning score (PEWS) is crucial for identifying subtle clinical deterioration in non-intensive care unit pediatric patients.
- Limited validation studies exist for PEWS, particularly in burn-injured populations.
- A modified burn-specific PEWS was implemented at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the external validity and clinical practice utility of a burn-specific PEWS.
- To assess the documentation compliance and intervention rates following PEWS score changes in pediatric burn patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 50 pediatric burn patients (0-15.9 years) with length of stay >3 days.
- Analysis of demographics, total PEWS, score changes, documentation compliance, and interventions.
- Comparison of patients with PEWS > 0 versus PEWS = 0.
Main Results:
- High PEWS documentation rate (92.4%) was observed.
- PEWS increases commonly involved intake/output parameters, leading to interventions in 79.6% of cases.
- Patients with PEWS > 0 had significantly larger burn sizes compared to those with PEWS = 0.
Conclusions:
- The burn-specific PEWS demonstrates high compliance and stimulates timely provider interventions.
- The study supports the validation of the burn-specific PEWS in clinical practice for pediatric burn patients.
- Further research is warranted to evaluate the impact of PEWS on patient outcomes.
