BACKGROUND: Residency programs are required to offer a didactic curriculum and protect resident time for education. Our institution implemented an academic half day (AHD) in the 2021-2022 academic year to address issues related to the standard noon conference series. OBJECTIVE: Determine the impact of AHD implementation on education, patient safety, and workflow. METHODS: This was a prospective, single-site educational intervention study. Pre- and post-implementation surveys and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) surveys assessed changes in trainee and faculty attitudes and behaviors. Patient safety and workflow were evaluated by comparing the number of safety event reports, rapid response team activations, time to admission from the ED, and time of discharge on AHD days compared to other weekdays. RESULTS: Survey response rates were: residents 68%/48%, fellows 42%/35%, and faculty 59%/29%. AHD was associated with a significant, positive change in resident attitudes and experiences and on ACGME survey items. On AHDs compared with other weekdays, there were no significant differences in safety event report rates (P = .98), nor in rapid response team activation rates (P = .99). There was not a clinically meaningful difference in median admission time from the ED on AHD weekdays (125 minutes) compared to other weekdays (130 minutes, P = .04). There was no significant difference in median discharge time on AHD vs other weekdays (P = .13). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that there is no significant difference in patient safety or workflow with the implementation of AHD. This study supports prior studies that residents strongly prefer AHD. AHD may be a useful framework for resident education without compromising patient care.

OBJECTIVE:To create and validate a checklist for high-quality documentation and pilot a multi-modal, immersive educational module across multiple institutions. We hypothesized that this module would improve knowledge, skills, and attitudes in medical documentation.METHODS:Module design was grounded in an established curriculum design framework. We conducted the study across 12 pediatric critical care fellowship programs between September 2017 and January 2018. Workshops were allotted 90 minutes for completion. We utilized a pre-/post- study design to determine the workshop's impact. Changes in knowledge were assessed through pre and post testing. Changes in skills were evaluated with a validated checklist for inclusion of key documentation elements. Changes in attitudes were determined through learner self-assessment RESULTS: 83 of 138 eligible fellows (60%) started the module and 62 of 83 (75%) completed data sets for analysis. Immediate post-testing demonstrated modest statistically significant improvement in knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The workshop was easily disseminated and deployed CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that a multi-modal educational intervention can lead to improvement in medical documentation knowledge, skills, and attitudes in a cohort of PCCM fellows and be easily disseminated for use by other specialties and types of clinicians.

Abstract Background Dengue virus (DENV) is endemic in many parts of the world. Antibody dependent enhancement (ADE) in DENV infections occurs when a person with primary immunity is infected by a second, different DENV strain. Antibodies to Zika virus (ZIKV), which emerged in the Western Hemisphere in 2015, are cross reactive with DENV and theoretically could provoke ADE in a DENV naïve individual. Case presentation DENV infection was suspected in a child who had recently returned from a one-month stay in the Dominican Republic. The child presented with fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, and in hypovolemic shock. Volume and pressor resuscitation were unsuccessful, and the child died less than 24 h after hospitalization. Laboratory results suggested an early acute first DENV infection since serum, plasma, and spinal fluid had DENV1 detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), yet the serum lacked IgG antibodies to DENV nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) of all four DENV serotypes. This acute DENV infection occurred in the presence of a remote ZIKV infection as determined by antibodies to ZIKV NS1 envelope by multiplex microsphere immunoassay and an exceptionally high plaque reduction neutralization titer to ZIKV. ZIKV IgG avidity index was high, confirming a past infection. DENV1 RNA was detected in all ten organs and tissues examined by PCR. The severe and fatal complications reported here suggest that a remote ZIKV infection may provoke an exaggerated immune response leading to hypovolemic shock when primarily infected by DENV1. Conclusion We report the first known patient in the United States with a rapidly progressive and fatal case of travel-associated DENV in which prior exposure to ZIKV likely played a role in triggering an ADE phenomenon. This association of prior ZIKV immunity and subsequent new dengue infection is a worrisome phenomenon and an important contribution to the body of knowledge on immunity to flaviviruses.

Objectives Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) have demonstrated increased survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and their prevalence continues to rise. In 2009, Connecticut passed a legislation requiring all schools to have an AED, barring financial barriers. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine if this legislation was associated with an increase in Connecticut high school AEDs and (2) to detect disparities in the availability of AEDs based on school type, student demographics, and school size. Study Design A single researcher conducted a scripted telephone survey of all 54 public and 13 private high schools in New Haven County, Connecticut. Results A response rate of 100% was achieved. Forty-nine percent of high schools had an AED before the legislation, compared with 88% after ( P < 0.001). Before legislation, private schools had a higher percentage of AEDs than public schools (69% vs 44%; P = 0.1). Postlegislation, the difference is less (92% vs 87%; P = 0.4). Small schools (<400 students) are significantly less likely to have an AED than larger schools (40% vs 100%; P < 0.001). Schools with a higher percentage of students with disabilities are also less likely to have an AED ( P = 0.005), even when controlling for school size ( P = 0.03). Conclusions State legislation requiring schools to have an AED, if financially feasible, was associated with a significant increase in AED presence among New Haven County high schools. Small high schools and those with a higher percentage of students with disabilities remain less likely to have an AED despite legislation.

Objectives: Assess the overall level of burnout in pediatric critical care medicine fellows and examine factors that may contribute to or protect against its development. Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Setting: Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited pediatric critical care medicine fellowship programs across the United States. Subjects: Pediatric critical care medicine fellows and program directors. Interventions: Web-based survey that assessed burnout via the Maslach Burnout Inventory, as well as other measures that elicited demographics, sleepiness, social support, perceptions about prior training, relationships with colleagues, and environmental burnout. Measurements and Main Results: One-hundred eighty-seven fellows and 47 program directors participated. Fellows from 30% of programs were excluded due to lack of program director participation. Average values on each burnout domain for fellows were higher than published values for other medical professionals. Personal accomplishment was greater (lower burnout) among fellows more satisfied with their career choice (β 9.319; p ≤ 0.0001), spiritual fellows (β 1.651; p = 0.0286), those with a stress outlet (β 3.981; p = 0.0226), those comfortable discussing educational topics with faculty (β 3.078; p = 0.0197), and those comfortable seeking support from their co-fellows (β 3.762; p = 0.0006). Depersonalization was higher for second year fellows (β 2.034; p = 0.0482), those with less educational debt (β –2.920; p = 0.0115), those neutral/dissatisfied with their career choice (β –6.995; p = 0.0031), those with nursing conflict (β –3.527; p = 0.0067), those who perceived burnout among co-fellows (β 1.803; p = 0.0352), and those from ICUs with an increased number of patient beds (β 5.729; p ≤ 0.0001). Emotional exhaustion was higher among women (β 2.933; p = 0.0237), those neutral/dissatisfied with their career choice (β –7.986; p = 0.0353), and those who perceived burnout among co-fellows (β 5.698; p ≤ 0.0001). Greater sleepiness correlated with higher burnout by means of lower personal accomplishment (r = –1.64; p = 0.0255) and higher emotional exhaustion (r = 0.246; p = 0.0007). Except for tangible support, all other forms of social support showed a small to moderate correlation with lower burnout. Conclusions: Pediatric critical care medicine fellows in the United States are experiencing high levels of burnout, which appears to be influenced by demographics, fellow perceptions of their work environment, and satisfaction with career choice. The exclusion of fellows at 30% of the programs may have over or underestimated the actual level of burnout in these trainees.

Aluminum phosphide (AlP) is an insecticide and rodenticide that produces phosphine gas when exposed to moisture. Exposure to AIP has been described as through inhalation and ingestion routes and is typically either accidental or a suicidal attempt. The result is potential multiorgan toxicity involving the heart, kidneys, lungs, and liver, with an overall mortality related to exposure reported from 30% to 77%. The initial symptoms are nonspecific and can include epigastric pain, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and dyspnea. Patients rapidly experience multisystem organ failure, cardiovascular collapse, and, finally, death. We report the case of a 3 year old girl with AlP poisoning who developed cardiogenic shock, ventricular arrhythmias, respiratory failure, liver injury, and significant acute kidney injury (AKI). She was successfully supported with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for 16 days, treated with lidocaine and magnesium sulfate for ventricular arrhythmias, and received continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and hemodialysis for 24 days for metabolic acidosis secondary to AKI. Despite her severe clinical presentation, she had complete normalization of her end-organ dysfunction with no neurological sequelae. This case demonstrates the high index of suspicion required for AlP poisoning given the potential for rapid progression and severe multiorgan toxicity. The authors recommend prompt referral to a tertiary care center with ECMO and CRRT capability in cases of suspected or documented AlP poisoning.

Abstract Introduction: Physicians in training, including those in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, must develop clinical leadership skills in preparation to lead multidisciplinary teams during their careers. This study seeks to identify multidisciplinary perceptions of leadership skills important for Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellows to attain prior to fellowship completion. Methods: We performed a multi-institutional survey of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine attendings, fellows, and nurses. Subjects were asked to rate importance of 59 leadership skills, behaviors, and attitudes for Pediatric Critical Care practitioners and to identify whether these skills should be achieved before completing fellowship. Skills with the highest ratings by respondents were deemed essential. Results: Five hundred and eighteen subjects completed the survey. Of 59 items, only one item (“displays honesty and integrity”) was considered essential by all respondents. When analyzed by discipline, nurses identified 21 behaviors essential, fellows 3, and attendings 1 (p < 0.05). Nurses differed (p < 0.05) from attendings in their opinion of importance in 64% (38/59) of skills. Conclusions: Despite significant variability among Pediatric Critical Care attendings, fellows, and nurses in identifying which clinical leadership competencies are important for graduating Pediatric Critical Care fellows, they place the highest importance on skills in self-management and self-awareness. Leadership skills identified as most important may guide the development of interventions to improve trainee education and interprofessional care.

A career in pediatrics can bring great joy and satisfaction. It can also be challenging and lead some providers to manifest burnout and depression. A curriculum designed to help pediatric health providers acquire resilience and adaptive skills may be a key element in transforming times of anxiety and grief into rewarding professional experiences. The need for this curriculum was identified by the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Medical Students, Residents and Fellowship Trainees. A working group of educators developed this curriculum to address the professional attitudes, knowledge, and skills essential to thrive despite the many stressors inevitable in clinical care. Fourteen modules incorporating adult learning theory were developed. The first 2 sections of the curriculum address the knowledge and skills to approach disclosure of life-altering diagnoses, and the second 2 sections focus on the provider's responses to difficult patient care experiences and their needs to develop strategies to maintain their own well-being. This curriculum addresses the intellectual and emotional characteristics patient care medical professionals need to provide high-quality, compassionate care while also addressing active and intentional ways to maintain personal wellness and resilience.

Purpose of reviewPediatric ICUs frequently provide end-of-life (EOL) care to children. Our understanding of how EOL care is delivered to children and what constitutes effective care for dying children and their families in the ICU setting continues to evolve. This review identifies recent work describing events related to the death of a child in the ICU as well as interventional efforts to improve family and provider support.Recent findingsPediatric ICUs (PICUs) often provide EOL care to children who die in the developed world. Areas of active investigation include identifying effective communication techniques, meeting the needs of patients and parents, and providing support to care providers.SummaryPICU practitioners are developing flexible and novel approaches to pediatric EOL care in the ICU setting.

Goodman, Denise M. MD; Winkler, Margaret K. MD; Fiser, Richard T. MD; Abd-Allah, Shamel MD; Mathur, Mudit MD; Rivero, Niurka MD; Weiss, Irwin K. MD; Peterson, Bradley MD; Cornfield, David N. MD; Mink, Richard MD; Nozik Grayck, Eva MD; McCabe, Megan E. MD; Schuette, Jennifer MD; Nares, Michael A. MD; Totapally, Bala MD; Petrillo-Albarano, Toni MD; Wolfson, Rachel K. MD; Moreland, Jessica G. MD; Potter, Katherine E. MD; Fackler, James MD; Garber, Nan MD; Burns, Jeffrey P. MD; Shanley, Thomas P. MD; Lieh-Lai, Mary W. MD; Steiner, Marie MD; Tieves, Kelly S. DO; Goldsmith, Matthew MD; Asuncion, Arsenia MD; Ross, Sara L. P. MD; Howell, Joy D. MD; Biagas, Katherine MD; Ognibene, Kristin MD; Joshi, Prashant MD; Rubenstein, Jeffrey S. MD; Kocis, Keith C. MD; Cheifetz, Ira M. MD; Turner, David A. MD; Doughty, Lesley MD; Hall, Mark W. MD; Mason, Katherine MD; Penfil, Scott MD; Morrison, Wynne MD; Hoehn, K. Sarah MD; Watson, R. Scott MD; Garcia, Ricardo L. MD; Storgion, Stephanie A. MD; Fleming, Geoffrey M. MD; Castillo, Leticia MD; Tcharmtchi, M. Hossein MD; Taylor, Richard P. MD; Ul Haque, Ikram MD; Crain, Noreen MD; Baden, Harris P. MD; Lee, K. Jane MD Author Information

OBJECTIVE. The objective of this study was to document the frequency of pediatric resident experiences with end-of-life care for children and the educational context for these experiences, as well as to determine whether residents deem their preparatory training adequate.METHODS. An Internet-based survey was distributed to all categorical pediatric residents at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. Survey items asked residents to (1) quantify their experiences with specific responsibilities associated with the death of a pediatric patient, (2) identify their educational experiences, and (3) respond to Likert scale statements of, "I feel adequately trained to...." The responsibilities were discussion of withdrawal/limitation of life-sustaining therapy, symptom management, declaration of death, discussion of autopsy, completion of a death certificate, seeking self-support, and follow-up with families.RESULTS. Forty (50%) of 80 residents completed the survey. Residents had been present for a mean (+/- SD) of 4.7 (+/- 3.0) patient deaths. More than 50% of residents had participated in discussions of withdrawal/limitation of life-sustaining therapy, symptom management, completing a death certificate, and seeking personal support; however, < 50% of residents had been taught how to hold discussions of withdrawal/limitation of life-sustaining therapy, declare death, discuss autopsy, complete a death certificate, and have follow-up with families. Residents did not feel adequately trained in any of these areas.CONCLUSION. Pediatric residents have limited experience with pediatric end-of-life care and highly varied educational experiences and do not feel adequately trained to fulfill the responsibilities associated with providing end-of-life care for children. Overall, this perception does not improve with increased level of training. This study identifies several target areas for curricular intervention that may ultimately improve the end-of-life experience for our pediatric patients and their families and the young physicians who care for them.