Effects of a weaning protocol on ventilated pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients

Top Health Inf Manage. 2001 Nov;22(2):35-43.

Abstract

As part of a learning collaborative sponsored by the Center for the Evaluative Clinical Sciences (CECS) at Dartmouth College, a multidisciplinary pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) group began meeting in 1997 to evaluate potential performance improvement (PI) opportunities. A reduction in mechanical ventilation (MV) hours was the initial team focus. The multidisciplinary team developed and implemented protocols and physician order sets outlining care for MV weaning, neuromuscular blockade/therapeutic paralyzation, and enteral feedings. Since the initiation of our protocols in July 1997, we have significantly reduced the number of hours our PICU patients receive MV.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Child
  • Clinical Protocols*
  • Hospitals, University / standards
  • Humans
  • Intensive Care Units, Pediatric / standards*
  • Patient Care Team
  • Respiration, Artificial / adverse effects
  • Software Design
  • South Carolina
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Ventilator Weaning / standards*