Altered skin integrity in children admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit

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Published on: February 9, 2011

M B Zollo1, M L Gostisha, R J Berens

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA.

Journal of Nursing Care Quality
|December 1, 1996
PubMed

Insights

Altered skin integrity affects 26% of pediatric intensive care unit admissions. The Pediatric Risk of Mortality Score and white race are key risk factors for skin issues in critically ill children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric critical care medicine
  • Nursing quality improvement
  • Dermatology in intensive care

Background:

  • Altered skin integrity is a common complication in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).
  • Identifying risk factors is crucial for effective prevention strategies.
  • Previous research has not fully elucidated specific predictors in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the incidence and severity of altered skin integrity in a tertiary PICU.
  • To identify demographic, severity of illness, and practice-related risk factors for skin compromise.
  • To inform quality improvement initiatives aimed at reducing skin integrity issues.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective quality improvement study over an 18-week period.
  • Inclusion of 271 admissions to a tertiary pediatric intensive care unit.
  • Data collection on demographics, illness severity (Pediatric Risk of Mortality Score), and practice variables.
  • Analysis of data from PICU admission until skin integrity change or discharge.

Main Results:

  • Altered skin integrity occurred in 26% of admissions; 7% experienced skin breakdown.
  • Multivariate analysis identified the Pediatric Risk of Mortality Score as a significant risk factor.
  • White race was also found to be associated with altered skin integrity.

Conclusions:

  • The incidence of altered skin integrity in this PICU warrants attention.
  • The Pediatric Risk of Mortality Score is a valuable predictor for identifying at-risk pediatric patients.
  • Targeted interventions for high-risk patients, considering race, may improve outcomes.

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