Guidelines and Levels of Care for Pediatric Intensive Care Units

• Published in: Pediatrics (Evanston) 1993-07, Vol.92 (1), p.166-175
• Main Authors: Shira, James E, Diamond, Jess, O Connor, Mary E, Raphaely, Russell C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Health and social institutions; Health care; Hospitals; Intensive care units; Medical personnel; Medical research; Medical sciences; Organization; Pediatric intensive care; Pediatrics; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
• ISSN: 0031-4005; 1098-4275
• DOI: 10.1542/peds.92.1.166

Pediatric critical care medicine has matured dramatically during the past two decades. Knowledge of the pathophysiology of life-threatening processes and the technologic capacity to monitor and treat pediatric patients suffering from them have advanced rapidly during this period. Along with the scientific and technical advances has been the evolution of the pediatric intensive care unt (PICU), where the special needs of critically ill or injured children can be met by pediatric specialists. In 1985, the American Board of Pediatrics recognized the new subspecialty of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and established criteria for subspecialty certification. The American Boards of Medicine, Surgery, and Anesthesiology gave similar recognition to the subspecialty. In 1990, the Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education completed its first accreditation of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Training Programs. In view of these developments, the Pediatric Section of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Critical Care Medicine and Committee on Hospital Care believe that existing published1 guidelines should now be revised for the pediatric intensive care unit. This policy represents the consensus of the three above-mentioned groups who believe the recommendations that follow are current, necessary, and attainable in 1993. The guidelines are not intended as a statement of the ideal or ultimate requirements for PICUs. We expect standards for PICUs to rise as critical care medicine continues to develop and appropriately trained providers become more readily available. In view of these developments, the Pediatric Section of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Critical Care Medicine and Committee on Hospital Care believe that existing published1 guidelines should now be revised for the pediatric intensive care unit.