Paper
Sunday, November 4, 2007
360
Extremely Long Hospitalizations of Newborns in the United States: Data, Descriptions, Dilemmas
Anita J. Catlin, DNSc, FNP, FAAN, Nursing, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, USA and Kelly Anderson, RN, BSN, Transplant Unit, California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, CA, USA.
Presentation reports triangulated method study of acutely, chronically ill newborn children whose illnesses caused hospitalizations for greater than 6 months (179 days) in the United States. Done using a national data set (H-CUP KID 2003), a researcher created survey, and a qualitative questionnaire, the study identified 680 infants with stays of greater than 6 months in 2003. In addition, 422 providers submitted descriptive surveys and 288 qualitative reports on their experiences caring for children with hospital stays between 6 months and 6 years. Extreme prematurity, respiratory distress, and necrotizing enterocolitis contributed to the extremely long hospital stays. Nurse and physician participants felt that extremely long hospital stays were often due to futile situations in which parents or colleagues were insisting upon continued treatment. Improved interdisciplinary collaboration on decision making is discussed.