Abstract Objective To verify the performance of the Net Promoter Score (NPS) as a tool to assess parental satisfaction in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). Methods The authors conducted an observational cross-sectional multicenter study in the PICUs of 5 hospitals in Brazil. Eligible participants were all parents or legal guardians of PICU-admitted children, aged 18 years or over. The NPS was administered together with the EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care (EMPATHIC-30), used as the gold standard, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. For analysis, the results were dichotomized into values greater than or equal to the median of the tests. The associations between the 2 tools were evaluated and the distribution of their results was compared. Results The parents or legal guardians of 78 PICU-admitted children were interviewed. Of the respondents, 85% were women and 62% were in a private hospital. The median NPS was 10 (IQR, 10-10), and the median EMPATHIC-30 score was 5.7 (IQR, 5.4-5.9). Compared with the gold standard, the NPS had a sensitivity of 100% at all cutoff points, except at cutoff 10, where the sensitivity was slightly lower (97.5%). As for specificity, NPS performance was poorer, with values ranging from 0% (NPS ≥ 5) to 47.4% (NPS = 10). Conclusions NPS proved to be a sensitive tool to assess parental satisfaction, but with poor ability to identify dissatisfied users in the sample.

Abstract Objective The proportion of children with complex chronic conditions is increasing in PICUs around the world. We determined the prevalence and functional status of children with complex chronic conditions in Brazilian PICUs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The authors conducted a point prevalence cross-sectional study among fifteen Brazilian PICUs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors enrolled all children admitted to the participating PICUs with complex chronic conditions on three different days, four weeks apart, starting on April 4th, 2020. The authors recorded the patient's characteristics and functional status at admission and discharge days. Results During the 3 study days from March to June 2020, the authors enrolled 248 patients admitted to the 15 PICUs; 148 had CCC (prevalence of 59.7%). Patients had a median of 1 acute diagnosis and 2 chronic diagnoses. The use of resources/devices was extensive. The main mode of respiratory support was conventional mechanical ventilation. Most patients had a peripherally inserted central catheter (63.1%), followed by a central venous line (52.5%), and 33.3% had gastrostomy or/and tracheostomy. The functional status score was significantly better at discharge compared to admission day due to the respiratory status improvement. Conclusions The prevalence of children with CCC admitted to the Brazilian PICUs represented 59.7% of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The functional status of these children improved during hospitalization, mainly due to the respiratory component.

RESUMO Objetivo: Verificar a satisfação dos pais em relação ao cuidado prestado ao filho internado na unidade de terapia intensiva pediátrica e fatores clínicos associados. Método: Pesquisa exploratória, transversal, com 84 pais, em hospital privado de São Paulo, Brasil. A coleta de dados ocorreu de março de 2019 a janeiro de 2020, no pós-alta. Os dados foram analisados por estatística descritiva e Coeficiente de Correlação de Spearman. Resultados: A média de satisfação foi alta (5,75) (DP=0,35). Não houve correlação da satisfação dos pais com tempo de internação, gravidade e doença. Conclusão: Os pais apresentaram altos níveis de satisfação com o cuidado recebido na terapia intensiva pediátrica, independentemente da classificação da doença, tempo de internação ou gravidade. Observou-se maior satisfação nos domínios atitude profissional, cuidado e cura, informação e participação dos pais.

ABSTRACT Objective: To verify the parents’ satisfaction in relation to the care provided to their child admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit and associated clinical factors. Method: Exploratory, cross-sectional study, with a total of 84 parents, in a private hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Data collection took place from March 2019 to January 2020, in the post-discharge period. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient. Results: Mean satisfaction was high (5.75) (SD=0.35). There was no correlation between parents’ satisfaction and length of hospital stay, severity and illness. Conclusion: Parents showed high levels of satisfaction with the care received in pediatric intensive care, regardless of disease classification, length of hospital stay or severity. Greater satisfaction was observed in the domains of professional attitude, care and cure, information and parents’ participation.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Verificar la satisfacción de los padres en relación con la atención brindada al niño ingresado en la unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos y los factores clínicos asociados. Método: Es una investigación exploratoria y transversal, realizada entre 84 padres en un hospital privado de São Paulo, Brasil. Los datos se recogieron entre marzo de 2019 y enero de 2020, después del alta y se analizaron mediante estadística descriptiva y el Coeficiente de Correlación de Spearman. Resultados: La media de satisfacción fue alta (5,75) (DP=0,35). No hubo correlación de la satisfacción de los padres con la duración de la estancia, la enfermedad y la gravedad. Conclusión: Los padres mostraron altos niveles de satisfacción con la atención recibida en cuidados intensivos pediátricos, independientemente del período de la hospitalización, de la clasificación de la enfermedad o de la gravedad de la misma. Se observó mayor satisfacción en los dominios de actitud profesional, cuidado y curación, información y participación de los padres.

Abstract Objective: To determine the prevalence of life support limitation (LSL) in patients who died after at least 24 h of a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) stay, parent participation and to describe how this type of care is delivered. Methods: Retrospective cohort study in a tertiary PICU at a university hospital in Brazil. All patients aged 1 month to 18 years who died were eligible for inclusion. The exclusion criteria were those brain death and death within 24 h of admission. Results: 53 patients were included in the study. The prevalence of a LSL report was 45.3%. Out of 24 patients with a report of LSL on their medical records only 1 did not have a donot-resuscitate order. Half of the patients with a report of LSL had life support withdrawn. The length of their PICU stay, age, presence of parents at the time of death, and severity on admission, calculated by the Pediatric Index of Mortality 2, were higher in patients with a report of LSL. Compared with other historical cohorts, there was a clear increase in the prevalence of LSL and, most importantly, a change in how limitations are carried out, with a high prevalence of parental participation and an increase in withdrawal of life support. Conclusions: LSLs were associated with older and more severely ill patients, with a high prevalence of family participation in this process. The historical comparison showed an increase in LSL and in the withdrawal of life support.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the prognostic performance of the Pediatric Index of Mortality 2 (PIM2), ferritin, lactate, C-reactive protein (CRP), and leukocytes, alone and in combination, in pediatric patients with sepsis admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Methods A retrospective study was conducted in a PICU in Brazil. All patients aged 6 months to 18 years admitted with a diagnosis of sepsis were eligible for inclusion. Those with ferritin and C-reactive protein measured within 48 h and lactate and leukocytes within 24 h of admission were included in the prognostic performance analysis. Results Of 350 eligible patients with sepsis, 294 had undergone all measurements required for analysis and were included in the study. PIM2, ferritin, lactate, and CRP had good discriminatory power for mortality, with PIM2 and ferritin being superior to CRP. The cutoff values for PIM2 (> 14%), ferritin (> 135 ng/mL), lactate (> 1.7 mmol/L), and CRP (> 6.7 mg/mL) were associated with mortality. The combination of ferritin, lactate, and CRP had a positive predictive value of 43% for mortality, similar to that of PIM2 alone (38.6%). The combined use of the three biomarkers plus PIM2 increased the positive predictive value to 76% and accuracy to 0.945. Conclusions PIM2, ferritin, lactate, and CRP alone showed good prognostic performance for mortality in pediatric patients older than 6 months with sepsis. When combined, they were able to predict death in three-fourths of the patients with sepsis. Total leukocyte count was not useful as a prognostic marker.

RESUMO Objetivo: Comparar a carga de trabalho de enfermagem por meio dos instrumentos Nursing Activities Score (NAS), Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System-28 (TISS-28) e Nine Equivalents of Nursing Manpower Use Score (NEMS) em crianças internadas em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Pediátrica de um hospital universitário. Método: Estudo de coorte prospectivo realizado em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Pediátrica, com amostra constituída por todas as crianças internadas durante o período do estudo. A carga de trabalho de enfermagem foi avaliada por meio dos instrumentos TISS-28, NEMS e NAS, e posteriormente dividida em dois grupos: Grupo 1 formando uma categoria de itens de atividades básicas; Grupo 2 formando uma categoria de outras atividades de apoio e intervenção. Resultados: A amostra foi composta por 490 internações em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Pediátrica, totalizando 4617 observações. O NAS apresentou a melhor estimativa do total de horas de trabalho. O TISS-28 e o NEMS apresentaram melhor concordância e os resultados apresentaram fortes correlações entre NAS e TISS-28 e entre NEMS e TISS-28. No Grupo 1 (atividades básicas), o NAS(1) e o TISS-28(1) apresentaram correlação moderada, no Grupo 2 (atividades especializadas) os três instrumentos apresentaram correlações fortes. Conclusão: O NAS destacou-se na avaliação da carga de trabalho de enfermagem e apresentou boa correlação e concordância com o TISS-28.

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare the nursing workload using the Nursing Activities Score (NAS), Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System-28 (TISS-28) and Nine Equivalents of Nursing Manpower Use Score (NEMS) instruments in children admitted to a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in a university hospital. Method: A prospective cohort study performed in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, with a sample formed of all children hospitalized during the study period. Nursing workload was evaluated using the TISS-28, NEMS and NAS instruments, and further divided into two groups: Group 1 forming a category of basic activities items and Group 2 forming a category of other support and intervention activities. Results: The sample consisted of 490 Pediatric Intensive Care Unit admissions, totaling 4617 observations. NAS presented the best estimate of total working hours. TISS-28 and NEMS showed better agreement and the results showed strong correlations between NAS and TISS-28 and between NEMS and TISS-28. In Group 1 (basic activities), NAS(1) and TISS-28(1) showed moderate correlation, in Group 2 (specialized activities) the three instruments showed strong correlations. Conclusion: NAS stood out in the evaluation of nursing workload and showed good correlation and agreement with the TISS-28.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Comparar la carga de trabajo de enfermería a través de los instrumentos Nursing Activities Score (NAS), Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System-28 (TISS-28) y Nine Equivalents of Nursing Manpower Use Score (NEMS) en niños ingresados en Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátrica de un hospital universitario. Método: Estudio de cohorte prospectivo realizado en Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátrica, con muestra constituida por todos los niños ingresados durante el período de estudio. La carga de trabajo de enfermería fue evaluada a través de los instrumentos TISS-28, NEMS y NAS y, posteriormente dividida en dos grupos: Grupo 1 formando una categoría de ítems de actividades básicas; Grupo 2 formando una categoría de otras actividades de apoyo e intervención. Resultados: La muestra fue compuesta por 490 ingresos en Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátrica, en un total de 4617 observaciones. El NAS presentó la mejor estimativa del total de horas trabajadas. El TISS-28 y el NEMS presentaron mejor concordancia y los resultados demostraron fuertes correlaciones entre NAS y TISS-28 y entre NEMS y TISS-28. En el grupo 1 (actividades básicas), el NAS(1) y el TISS-28(1) presentaron correlación moderada, en el Grupo 2 (actividades especializadas) los tres instrumentos presentaron correlaciones fuertes. Consideraciones Finales: El NAS se destacó en la evaluación de la carga de trabajo de enfermería y presentó buena correlación y concordancia con el TISS-28.