Pediatric Intensive Care Nurse Staffing Measures and Patient Outcomes During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

During the COVID-19 pandemic, pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) reportedly relied more on temporary contract nurses hired through staffing agencies (agency nurses) to fill gaps related to increased nurse turnover. It is unknown whether these changes in nurse staffing were associated with patient outcomes.

Objective

To determine whether the proportion of PICU agency staff or nurse turnover was associated with patient outcomes during the pandemic.

Design, setting, and participants

This retrospective, multicenter, linked database cross-sectional study was performed at PICUs in the US between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2022. Participants included patients younger than 19 years admitted to a PICU with data in both the Children's Hospital Association

SUBMITTER: Taylor WM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12163677 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature