Introduction the birth of an infant constitutes a challenge for all parents. Stress is intense when an infant is born prematurely or experiences health problems and enters the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Moreover, mothers with premature babies in the NICU would feel frustrated if they are hospitalized in the maternity clinic away from their children. The purpose of this study is to assess the stress experienced by the parents of newborns hospitalized in NICU and its correlation with their level of satisfaction from the services provided during the hospitalization. Methods the sample consisted of 102 parents whose children were hospitalized in NICU. Parental Satisfaction questionnaires of NICU and the Picker´s institute were used. Statistical analysis was performed using χ 2 (chi square) and Pearson´s correlation test (bivariate). STROBE checklist was applied. Results out of the 102 parents, 66% were mothers and 33% were fathers. Parents expressed their satisfaction at a rate of 87.8% (±13.9%). In addition, there was strong evidence that the degree of parental satisfaction was significantly related to the age of the mother (p<0.05). The sudden noises from the alarms of the monitoring instruments were strongly correlated with the degree of parents´ satisfaction from the services provided by the NICU (p<0.05). Parents feel less stressful when their child is being monitored (p<0.05). Conclusion the results of this study could help the staff of NICU clinics to improve parents´ satisfaction about health services. Proper and adequate communication between parents and health professionals in NICU increases parental satisfaction.
Introduction: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 602 children operated on for acute appendicitis (AA) in our department between 1/2007 and 12/2017. Aim: The aim of this study was to identify factors that are related to a delay in diagnosing AA in children. Furthermore, we’d like to strengthen our previous preliminary results by a) adding gender as a new factor and b) studying a much larger population. Materials and methods: The time that elapsed from the onset of symptoms to the surgical intervention was associated with gender, age, obesity, use of antibiotics prior to diagnosis, and the initial examination by a paediatric surgeon or another physician. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression method (backward method) was applied. Results: The diagnosis of AA was delayed by at least 48 hours in 287 patients (group A, 47.7%) and was made within 48 hours in 315 patients (group B, 52.3%). In multivariate model we noticed that boys who were examined by a paediatric surgeon and didn’t take antibiotics had decreased odds of having length of diagnostic period >48 hours, girls who received antibiotics compared to girls who do not use antibiotics are almost 12 times more likely to have length of diagnostic period >48 hours, the very young age has а main effect оn the diagnostic delay and girls who have been examined by other physician compared to females who have been examined by paediatric surgeon have decreased odds of having length of diagnostic period >48 hours. Conclusions: Therefore, physicians examining children with abdominal pain must keep in mind the multiple causes of diagnostic delay that may exist alone or in combination, and which can lead to serious complications and lengthen the hospital stay. Performing repeated examinations and asking for advice from a specialist specifically for children who are a special category of patients, in areas where it is rather impossible to use imaging techniques, could be the key to correctly diagnosing and treating AA.
Aim: The aim of our study is to evaluate the diagnostic ability of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in pediatric population with history of blunt abdominal trauma (BAT). Materials and Methods: In an eight-year period (1/2012-1/2020) fifty-nine children (4-14 years old) were transferred to Emergency Department with referred BAT. The initial imaging method was ultrasound scan (US). Thirty-two children were discharged in good condition 24/hours after their admission. The rest 27 with moderate to severe injuries and according to their laboratory tests and US results, were evaluated with CEUS and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT).Results: Five children were confirmed with splenic injury, two with liver lacerations, one with liver lacerations and right kidney contusion, while in nineteen, no visceral pathology was found by US, CEUS and CECT. The CEUS and CECT were in complete agreement. In contrary, unenhanced-US showed in eleven children free peritoneal fluid and in two possible parenchymal lesions. In two of the patients with negative US-study splenic contusions in CECT and CEUS were revealed. The CEUS study was also used as follow-up method. No adverse reactions were observed from CEUS contrast agent in all patients (27) follow-up in 1-week and in 6-months period. Furthermore, in 27 patients no adverse reactions were observed from CEUS contrast agent in a 1-year period. Conclusion: CEUS is effective, easily performed, low cost and radiation free, imaging method. It is ideal both for initial and follow up evaluation of trauma and thus we encourage the usage of the method in paediatric BAT cases.
BackgroundFrom January 2020, coronavirus has caused more than three million deaths. Lockdown has been enforced in many countries worldwide, affecting the emergency department visits of many surgical specialties. MethodsThe purpose of this study was to present the difference in trends in pediatric emergency department visits from March 1 to May 30, 2020, compared to the same 3-month period in 2019 in a tertiary university hospital in Greece, which was one of the referral centers for COVID-19 patients. ResultsA 42.5% reduction in emergency department visits was observed. In 2020, only 196 patients visited the pediatric surgery emergency department, versus 341 patients in 2019 (p<0.05). The reasons for visiting the emergency department did not change in most categories. Even though visits to the emergency department were reduced, the rates of the distance of the patient's residency from the hospital remained roughly the same. Hospital admission rates remained roughly the same. ConclusionEven though there was a huge decrease in numbers, the reasons for visiting the ED remained roughly the same. The only exception was indoor accidents, which increased in 2020.
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