Abstract 11345: Resource Demands and the Incidence of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Within a Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

Background: Econometric evidence suggests exponential declines in the ability to provide critical care services as variable demands exceed a relatively fixed supply of available critical care resources. We hypothesized that increasing demands upon resources within a pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) is also associated with increases in the incidence and rate of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Methods and Results: Records from each twelve-hour nursing shift within an eighteen-bed pediatric CICU from 1 July 2010 through 30 April 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 2716 reports available for review from 2769 shifts (97%). During the study period, there were 1,803 surgical and 1,215 medical admissions, accounting for a median census of 15 (interquartile range [IQR] 13-17) patients per shift, and a total of 20,269 patient days (40,538 patient-shifts) over the 44-month study period. Median bed capacity was 83% (IQR 72-94%), and median patient to nursing assignment ratio was 1.5 (IQR 1.4-1.6 patients per nurse assignment). Cardiac arrest (defined as administration of chest compressions) was identified in 138 occasions in 134 shifts, an arrest rate of 3.4 arrests per 1000 patient-shifts. Arrests were no more frequent during night versus day shifts (3.2 v. 3.6 per 1000 patient shifts, p=0.40), nor were they greater during weekend versus weekday shifts (2.9 v. 3.9 per 100 patient-shifts, p=0.14). There was a trend toward an increase in the incidence of cardiac arrest with patient to nurse assignment ratios of less than 1.5 (2.8 v. 3.9 arrests per 1000 patient shifts, p=0.06). Unit occupancy exceeding 85% was associated with a 45% greater rate of cardiac arrest (2.6 v 4.1 arrests per 1000 patient-shifts, 95%CI 0.3 to 2.6 increase, p=0.01). Conclusions: We report a significant increase in the incidence of cardiopulmonary resuscitation at times of greater resource consumption within a pediatric CICU as defined by unit capacity. Multi-institutional studies are necessary to identify generalizable organizational characteristics that may promote efficient allocation of resources and optimize delivery of care to a population of patients at greater risk for significant hospital morbidity.