PICU Provider Supply and Demand: A National Survey

Area of Science:

• Pediatric critical care medicine
• Healthcare workforce analysis
• Nursing and allied health professions

Background:

• Pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) are critical care settings for critically ill children.
• Healthcare provider shortages, particularly in specialized fields like PICU, pose significant challenges.
• The role of advanced practice providers, such as nurse practitioners, is evolving to address these shortages.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe perceptions of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) physician and provider supply among physicians and nurse practitioners.
• To assess differences in perceptions regarding the adequacy of the PICU workforce.
• To evaluate institutional intent to hire additional nurse practitioners in PICUs.

Main Methods:

• A national, quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted.
• A postal mail survey was distributed to 140 institutions with a PICU employing nurse practitioners.
• Surveys were sent to PICU medical directors and lead nurse practitioners.

Main Results:

• Over half of respondents perceived a national shortage of PICU physicians and a local shortage of PICU providers.
• Institutions reporting a local provider shortage planned to increase hiring of PICU nurse practitioners.
• A significant percentage of institutions were likely to expand the role of nurse practitioners in patient care.

Conclusions:

• A perceived undersupply of PICU providers exists nationally and locally.
• Nurse practitioners are integral to interdisciplinary care models addressing provider demand in PICUs.
• Institutions show intent to increase the number and scope of practice for PICU nurse practitioners to meet care demands.