Perspectives of Pediatric Providers on Patients With Complex Chronic Conditions: A Mixed-Methods Sequential...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric critical care medicine
• Complex chronic conditions management
• Healthcare provider perspectives

Background:

• Children with complex chronic conditions (CCCs) pose unique challenges in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), including extended hospital stays and intricate care needs.
• Family dynamics in the PICU setting for CCC patients require careful consideration and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the perspectives of healthcare providers in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) concerning pediatric patients with complex chronic conditions (CCCs).
• To identify potential strategies and opportunities for enhancing the care delivered to these vulnerable patients.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, mixed-methods sequential explanatory study design was employed.
• Data collection involved surveys administered via REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) followed by semistructured interviews with healthcare providers.
• The study was conducted in a tertiary medical-surgical pediatric intensive care unit.

Main Results:

• A 70.6% survey response rate was achieved, with no significant variation in perspectives based on healthcare provider experience.
• Semistructured interviews with ten providers revealed eight key themes: need for specialized education, primary intensivist designation, dedicated care locations, goal setting, care milestone tracking, improved patient-family communication, optimized discharge planning, and family integration into care.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare providers in the PICU identify specific areas for improvement in managing pediatric patients with complex chronic conditions (CCCs).
• Key opportunities include establishing clear daily goals, enhancing discharge planning processes, and fostering better communication channels among patients, families, and the healthcare team.