ABSTRACT Objective: The benefit of atropine in pediatric tracheal intubation is not well established. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of atropine on the incidence of hypoxemia and bradycardia during tracheal intubations in the pediatric emergency department. Methods: This is a single-center observational study in a tertiary pediatric emergency department. Data were collected on all tracheal intubations in patients from 31 days to incomplete 20 years old, performed between January 2016 and September 2020. Procedures were divided into two groups according to the use or not of atropine as a premedication during intubation. Records with missing data, patients with cardiorespiratory arrest, cyanotic congenital heart diseases, and those with chronic lung diseases with baseline hypoxemia were excluded. The primary outcome was hypoxemia (peripheral oxygen saturation ≤88%), while the secondary outcomes were bradycardia (decrease in heart rate >20% between the maximum and minimum values) and critical bradycardia (heart rate <60 bpm) during intubation procedure. Results: A total of 151 tracheal intubations were identified during the study period, of which 126 were eligible. Of those, 77% had complex, chronic underlying diseases. Atropine was administered to 43 (34.1%) patients and was associated with greater odds of hypoxemia in univariable analysis (OR: 2.62; 95%CI 1.15–6.16; p=0.027) but not in multivariable analysis (OR: 2.07; 95%CI 0.42–10.32; p=0.37). Critical bradycardia occurred in only three patients, being two in the atropine group (p=0.26). Bradycardia was analyzed in only 42 procedures. Atropine use was associated with higher odds of bradycardia in multivariable analysis (OR: 11.00; 95%CI 1.3–92.8; p=0.028). Conclusions: Atropine as a premedication in tracheal intubation did not prevent the occurrence of hypoxemia or bradycardia during intubation procedures in pediatric emergency.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito da atropina na incidência de hipoxemia e bradicardia durante a intubação orotraqueal no departamento de emergência pediátrica. Métodos: Estudo observacional, realizado em departamento de emergência pediátrica terciário em que foram analisados os registros de intubações orotraqueais de pacientes com 31 dias a 20 anos incompletos, entre janeiro de 2016 e setembro de 2020. Os procedimentos foram divididos em dois grupos de acordo com o uso ou não da atropina como pré-medicação durante a intubação. Foram excluídos os procedimentos com falhas no preenchimento dos dados, pacientes com parada cardiorrespiratória, cardiopatias congênitas cianóticas, e aqueles com pneumopatias crônicas com hipoxemia basal. O desfecho primário foi hipoxemia (saturação periférica de oxigênio ≤88%), enquanto os desfechos secundários foram bradicardia (queda >20% entre a frequência cardíaca máxima e mínima) e bradicardia crítica (frequência cardíaca <60 bpm) durante o procedimento de intubação Resultados: Foram identificados 151 procedimentos de intubação orotraqueal, sendo 126 elegíveis para o estudo. Desses, 77% tinham doenças subjacentes complexas e crônicas. A atropina foi administrada em 43 (34,1%) pacientes e foi associada a maiores chances de hipoxemia na análise univariada (OR: 2,62; IC95% 1,15–6,16; p=0,027), porém, não na análise multivariada (OR: 2,073; IC95% 0,416–10,32; p=0,373). A bradicardia crítica ocorreu em apenas três pacientes, sendo dois no grupo atropina (p=0,268). A bradicardia foi analisada em apenas 42 procedimentos. O uso de atropina foi associado a maior probabilidade de bradicardia (OR: 11,00; IC95% 1,3–92,8; p=0,028) na análise multivariável. Conclusões: Atropina como pré-medicação na intubação orotraqueal não evitou a ocorrência de hipoxemia ou bradicardia durante os procedimentos de intubação na emergência pediátrica.

ABSTRACT Introduction: The exponential growth of telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic led to the implementation of a telemedicine care service in a tertiary university pediatric hospital. It brought the need to develop a training aimed at remote care within the pediatric emergency rotation program. Objective: To describe the implementation of a telemedicine training for pediatric residents and present the preliminary results. Methods: Descriptive prospective study (pre and post), with 40 resident physicians of the first year of pediatrics. Reaction Assessments were applied before and after training, in addition to a resident physician perception questionnaire at the end of the training. Results: There was a significant difference in the resident’s perception of experience and safety after initial training. Most rated the proposal as good or excellent, considered teaching telemedicine relevant and that this experience contributed to their learning on the subject. Conclusion: This study describes an innovative proposal for training in telemedicine. The preliminary results were encouraging, demonstrating the program’s potential in training future pediatricians.

ABSTRACT Objective To describe the personal protective equipment training strategies during the beginning of the pandemic and to investigate the association between training and COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers. Methods This cross-sectional study conducted between March and May 2020 included 7,142 healthcare professionals who were eligible for both online and face-to-face simulation-based training on personal protective equipment use. Simulation training attendance was assessed by reviewing the attendance list, and the COVID-19 sick leave records recovered from the institutional RT-PCR database used to grant sick leave. The association between personal protective equipment training and COVID-19 was investigated using logistic regression, adjusted for sociodemographic and occupational characteristics. Results The mean age was 36.9 years (± 8.3), and 72.6% of participants were female. A total of 5,502 (77.0%) professionals were trained: 3,012 (54.7%) through online training, 691 (12.6%) through face-to-face training, and 1,799 (32.7%) through both strategies. During the study period, 584 (8.2%) COVID-19 cases were diagnosed among these professionals. The number of positive RT-PCR tests was 180 (11.0%) for untrained professionals, 245 (8.1%) for those trained only online, 35 (5.1%) for those trained face-to-face, and 124 (6.9%) for those trained with both strategies (p<0.001). Participants who received face-to-face training had a 0.43 lower risk of contracting COVID-19. Conclusion Personal protective equipment training decreased the odds of COVID-19 among healthcare professionals, with face-to-face simulation-based training being most effective.

Abstract Objective: In Brazil, telemedicine was allowed as an exception during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Despite its recognized value and availability, telemedicine is not universally used, suggesting that some barriers prevent its adoption and acceptance within the community. This study aims to describe the implementation of a low-cost telemedicine service in a pediatric hospital in Brazil. Method: Retrospective descriptive study reporting the first three months (April to June 2020) of the experience of implementing a low-cost telemedicine emergency care program in a public tertiary hospital. The service was available to patients up to 18 years of age enrolled in this hospital. A tool for assessing the severity of the patient was developed, the aim of standardizing the procedure, while maintaining quality and safety. Guardian’s satisfaction was assessed with a questionnaire sent after teleconsultations. Results: 255 teleconsultations were carried out with 140 different patients. Of the total consultations, 182 were from 99 patients that had performed the Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test for the new coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2) or had direct contact with a person known to be positive for COVID-19. Only 26 (14%) were referred to an in-person consultation. No deaths, adverse events or delayed diagnosis were recorded. 86% of the patients who answered the satisfaction questionnaire were satisfied and 92% would use telemedicine again. Conclusion: This study presents an innovative implementation of a telemedicine program in a public and exclusively pediatric tertiary service, serving as a reference for future implementation in other public services in Brazil and developing countries.

Abstract Objective: To determine the effect of a training program using simulation-based mastery learning on the performance of residents in pediatric intubations with videolaryngoscopy. Method: Retrospective cohort study carried out in a tertiary pediatric hospital between July 2016 and June 2018 evaluating a database that included the performance of residents before and after training, as well as the outcome of tracheal intubations. A total of 59 pediatric residents were evaluated in the pre-training with a skills’ checklist in the scenario with an intubation simulator; subsequently, they were trained individually using a simulator and deliberate practice in the department itself. After training, the residents were expected to have a minimum passing grade (90/100) in a simulated scenario. The success of the first attempted intubation, use of videolaryngoscopy, and complications in patients older than 1 year of age during the study period were also recorded in clinical practice. Results: Before training, the mean grade was 77.5/100 (SD 15.2), with only 23.7% (14/59) of residents reaching the minimum passing grade of 90/100. After training, 100% of the residents reached the grade, with an average of 94.9/100 (SD 3.2), p < 0.01, with only 5.1% (3/59) needing more practice time than that initially allocated. The success rate in the first attempt at intubation in the emergency department with videolaryngoscopy was 77.8% (21/27). The rate of adverse events associated with intubations was 26% (7/27), representing a serious event. Conclusions: Simulation-based mastery learning increased residents’ skills related to intubation and allowed safe tracheal intubations with video laryngoscopy.

Resumo A atenção ao paciente vítima de parada cardiorrespiratória no contexto da pandemia da Doença por Coronavírus 2019 (COVID-19) possui particularidades que devem ser ressaltadas. As seguintes recomendações da Associação Brasileira de Medicina de Emergência (ABRAMEDE), Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia (SBC), Associação de Medicina Intensiva Brasileira (AMIB) e Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia (SBA), representantes oficiais de especialidades afiliadas à Associação Médica Brasileira (AMB), têm por objetivo orientar as diversas equipes assistentes, em uma situação de poucas evidências sólidas, maximizando a proteção das equipes e dos pacientes. É fundamental a paramentação completa com Equipamentos de Proteção Individual para aerossóis durante o atendimento de parada cardiorrespiratória. Também se faz imperativo que se considerem e tratem as potenciais causas nesses pacientes, principalmente hipóxia e arritmias de correntes de QT longo ou miocardite. A instalação de via aérea invasiva avançada deve ser obtida precocemente, e o uso de filtros HEPA na interface com a bolsa-válvula é obrigatório. Situações de ocorrência de parada cardiorrespiratória durante a ventilação mecânica e em posição pronada demandam peculiaridades de ajustes do ventilador e posicionamento de compressões torácicas distintas do padrão de ressuscitação cardiopulmonar. Dadas essas particularidades logísticas, o atendimento segue de acordo com os protocolos e diretrizes nacionais e internacionais do International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) de 2015, das diretrizes da American Heart Association (AHA) de 2019 e da Atualização da Diretriz de Ressuscitação Cardiopulmonar e Cuidados de Emergência da Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia de 2019.

Abstract Care for patients with cardiac arrest in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has several unique aspects that warrant particular attention. This joint position statement by the Brazilian Association of Emergency Medicine (ABRAMEDE), Brazilian Society of Cardiology (SBC), Brazilian Association of Intensive Care Medicine (AMIB), and Brazilian Society of Anesthesiology (SBA), all official societies representing the corresponding medical specialties affiliated with the Brazilian Medical Association (AMB), provides recommendations to guide health care workers in the current context of limited robust evidence, aiming to maximize the protection of staff and patients alike. It is essential that full aerosol precautions, which include wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, be followed during resuscitation. It is also imperative that potential causes of cardiac arrest of particular interest in this patient population, especially hypoxia, cardiac arrhythmias associated with QT prolongation, and myocarditis, be considered and addressed. An advanced invasive airway device should be placed early. Use of HEPA filters at the bag-valve interface is mandatory. Management of cardiac arrest occurring during mechanical ventilation or during prone positioning demands particular ventilator settings and rescuer positioning for chest compressions which deviate from standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques. Apart from these logistical issues, care should otherwise follow national and international protocols and guidelines, namely the 2015 International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) and 2019 American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines and the 2019 Update to the Brazilian Society of Cardiology Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Guideline.

OBJECTIVE: To compare high-fidelity simulation with case-based discussion for teaching medical students about pediatric emergencies, as assessed by a knowledge post-test, a knowledge retention test and a survey of satisfaction with the method. METHODS: This was a non-randomized controlled study using a crossover design for the methods, as well as multiple-choice questionnaire tests and a satisfaction survey. Final-year medical students were allocated into two groups: group 1 participated in an anaphylaxis simulation and a discussion of a supraventricular tachycardia case, and conversely, group 2 participated in a discussion of an anaphylaxis case and a supraventricular tachycardia simulation. Students were tested on each theme at the end of their rotation (post-test) and 4-6 months later (retention test). RESULTS: Most students (108, or 66.3%) completed all of the tests. The mean scores for simulation versus case-based discussion were respectively 43.6% versus 46.6% for the anaphylaxis pre-test (p =0.42), 63.5% versus 67.8% for the post-test (p =0.13) and 61.5% versus 65.5% for the retention test (p =0.19). Additionally, the mean scores were respectively 33.9% versus 31.6% for the supraventricular tachycardia pre-test (p =0.44), 42.5% versus 47.7% for the post-test (p =0.09) and 41.5% versus 39.5% for the retention test (p =0.47). For both themes, there was improvement between the pre-test and the post-test (p <0.05), and no significant difference was observed between the post-test and the retention test (p >0.05). Moreover, the satisfaction survey revealed a preference for simulation (p <0.001). CONCLUSION: As a single intervention, simulation is not significantly different from case-based discussion in terms of acquisition and retention of knowledge but is superior in terms of student satisfaction.

Introdução A simulação é uma metodologia usada para substituir ou amplificar experiências reais por experiências guiadas que evocam ou replicam aspectos do mundo real de maneira interativa. A simulação in situ leva essa técnica diretamente aos locais onde ocorrem atendimentos, com a própria equipe de saúde atuando em seu ambiente de trabalho em cenário simulado. Objetivo Descrever experiência piloto de simulação in situ realizada em unidade de pronto atendimento, destacando oportunidades de avaliação de sistema de atendimento, trabalho em equipe e detecção de ameaças latentes à segurança (ALS). Métodos Estudo aplicado na Unidade Ibirapuera do Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein e realizado pelo Centro de Simulação Realística Albert Einstein. Foi apresentado cenário de paciente de 45 anos com síndrome coronariana aguda que evolui para parada cardiorrespiratória. Simulação híbrida de 30 minutos com uso de ator e simulador de alta fidelidade (SimMan 3G®).Utilizado checklist e filmagem para avaliar habilidades e atitudes, usados em debriefing estruturado com uma hora de duração. Resultados A experiência proporcionou avaliação técnica, comportamental e sistemas. Detectou quatro ALS e permitiu reflexão guiada sobre trabalho em equipe. Conclusão Este piloto contribuiu para o alcance dos objetivos propostos com o cenário e demonstrou oportunidades de treinamento e melhoria. A simulação in situ pode ser usada no futuro sistematicamente para treinamento contínuo de equipes, visando à melhoria da qualidade de atendimento e à segurança do paciente.

Introduction Simulation is a method used to substitute or enhance real experiences with guided, interactive experiences that are reminiscent of or replicate aspects of the real world.In situ simulation takes this technique directly to the places where health care is rendered, with the health team acting in a simulated scenario within their work environment. Objective To describe the pilot in situ simulation experience conducted at an accident and emergency unit, highlighting the opportunities to assess the care system, teamwork and detection of latent safety threats (LSTs). Methods The study was applied at the Ibirapuera Unit of the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein and performed by the Albert Einstein Realistic Simulation Centre.A scenario was presented wherein a 45-year old patient whose acute coronary syndrome evolves into cardiac arrest.A 30-minute hybrid simulation involving the use of an actor and high fidelity simulator (SimMan 3G®).A checklist was used and the simulation was filmed in order to evaluate skills and attitudes in a structured 1-hour long debriefing. Results The experience provided a technical, behavioural and system assessment. Four LSTs were detected and it enabled a guided reflection on teamwork. Conclusion This pilot contributed to achieving the objectives proposed with the scenario and demonstrated opportunities for training and improvement.In situ simulation may be used systemically in the future for continuous team training, aimed at improving service quality and patient safety.

OBJETIVO: Descrever e analisar as causas de morte em um hospital secundário pediátrico (administrado pelos Médicos sem Fronteiras) na Monróvia, Libéria, 6 anos após o fim da guerra civil, para determinar a qualidade dos cuidados e a mortalidade em uma realidade com recursos limitados. MÉTODOS: Os dados foram coletados retrospectivamente de março a outubro de 2009. Os prontuários e dados laboratoriais foram revisados para verificar a causa de morte. Além disso, prontuários de pacientes com mais de 1 mês de vida com causa de morte infecciosa foram analisados, para avaliar a presença de choque séptico descompensado ou choque séptico refratário a fluidos. RESULTADOS: Do total de 8.254 pacientes admitidos, 531 morreram, com taxa de mortalidade de 6,4%. Noventa por cento dos óbitos ocorreram em crianças <5 anos. A maioria das mortes ocorreu nas primeiras 24 horas de internação. A causa principal (76%) foi doença infecciosa. Apresentaram choque séptico 78 (23,6%) pacientes com mais de 1 mês de idade e doença infecciosa, e 28 (8,6%) apresentaram choque séptico descompensado ou refratário a fluidos. CONCLUSÃO: Desde o fim da devastadora guerra civil na Libéria, o Island Hospital tem melhorado a qualidade de cuidado e diminuído a taxa de mortalidade, apesar de atuar com recursos limitados. Com base nos dados disponíveis, a mortalidade do Island Hospital aparenta ser menor do que em outras instituições liberianas e africanas, e semelhante a de outros hospitais administrados pelos Médicos sem Fronteiras na África. A explicação para esse fato é o apoio logístico e financeiro dos Médicos sem Fronteiras. A maior carga de mortalidade está relacionada a doenças infecciosas e condições neonatais. A mortalidade por sepse variou entre diferentes infecções. Isso sugere que a mortalidade ainda pode ser reduzida ao se melhorarem o tratamento e os cuidados neonatais.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and analyze the causes of death in a pediatric secondary-care hospital (run by Médecins sans Frontières), in Monrovia, Liberia, 6 years post-civil war, to determine the quality of care and mortality in a setting with limited resources. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected from March 2009 to October 2009. Patient charts and laboratory records were reviewed to verify cause of death. Additionally, charts of patients aged over 1 month with an infectious cause of death were analyzed for decompensated septic shock, or fluid-refractory septic shock. RESULTS: Of 8,254 admitted pediatric patients, 531 died, with a mortality rate of 6.4%. Ninety percent of deaths occurred in children <5 years old. Most deaths occurred within 24 hours of admission. The main cause of death (76%) was infectious disease. Seventy-eight (23.6%) patients >1 month old with infectious disease met the criteria for septic shock, and 28 (8.6%) for decompensated or fluid-refractory septic shock. CONCLUSION: Since the end of Liberia's devastating civil war, Island Hospital has improved care and mortality outcomes, despite operating with limited resources. Based on the available data, mortality in Island Hospital appears to be lower than that of other Liberian and African institutions and similar to other hospitals run by Médecins sans Frontières across Africa. This can be explained by the financial and logistic support of Médecins sans Frontières. The highest mortality burden is related to infectious diseases and neonatal conditions. The mortality of sepsis varied among different infections. This suggests that further mortality reduction can be obtained by tackling sepsis management and improving neonatal care.