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Pediatric Neurocritical Care: A Short Survey of Current Perceptions and Practices

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Abstract

Background

Although attention to neurologic injuries and illnesses in pediatric critical care is not new, a sub-specialized field of pediatric neurocritical care has only recently been recognized. Pediatric neurocritical care is an emerging area of clinical and investigative focus. Little is known about the prevalence of specialized pediatric neurocritical care services nor about perceptions regarding how it is impacting medical practice. This survey sought to capture perceptions about an emerging area of specialized pediatric neurocritical care among practitioners in intersecting disciplines, including pediatric intensivists, pediatric neurologits and pediatric neurosurgeons.

Methods

A web-based survey was distributed via email to members of relevant professional societies and groups. Survey responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Differences in responses between groups of respondents were analyzed using Chi-squared analysis where appropriate.

Main Results

Specialized clinical PNCC programs were not uncommon among the survey respondents with 20 % currently having a PNCC service at their institution. Despite familiarity with this area of sub-specialization among the survey respondents, the survey did not find consensus regarding its value. Overall, 46 % of respondents believed that a specialized clinical PNCC service improves the quality of care of critically ill children. Support for PNCC sub-specialization was more common among pediatric neurologists and pediatric neurosurgeons than pediatric intensivists. This survey found support across specialties for creating PNCC training pathways for both pediatric intensivists and pediatric neurologists with an interest in this specialized field.

Conclusions

PNCC programs are not uncommon; however, there is not clear agreement on the optimal role or benefit of this area of practice sub-specialization. A broader dialog should be undertaken regarding the emerging practice of pediatric neurocritical care, the potential benefits and drawbacks of this partitioning of neurology and critical care medicine practice, economic and other practical factors, the organization of clinical support services, and the formalization of training and certification pathways for sub-specialization.

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Acknowledgment

Departmental funds from the MGHfC Pediatric Critical Care Department were used to pay service fees requested by professional societies to process survey distribution.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest and none of the authors received outside funding for their participation in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Critical Care Offices, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, 175 Cambridge Street, CPZ5, Rm 526, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Sarah A. Murphy, Michael J. Bell, Maureen E. Clark, Michael J. Whalen & Natan Noviski

Authors
  1. Sarah A. Murphy
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  2. Michael J. Bell
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  3. Maureen E. Clark
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  4. Michael J. Whalen
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  5. Natan Noviski
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sarah A. Murphy.

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Murphy, S.A., Bell, M.J., Clark, M.E. et al. Pediatric Neurocritical Care: A Short Survey of Current Perceptions and Practices. Neurocrit Care 23, 149–158 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12028-015-0120-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12028-015-0120-2

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