Unexpected Survivors: Children With Life-Limiting Conditions of Uncertain Prognosis.

Objective: Prognostication of survival is difficult in children with life-limiting illnesses because of the rarity of these conditions and technological advances improving survival. The objective of this article is to describe the characteristics of children with life-limiting illnesses who survived longer than the expectations of health-care providers.

Study Design: This is a retrospective cohort study conducted in a tertiary-care children's hospital in North Carolina.

Transitions to and from the acute inpatient care setting for children with life-threatening illness.

Children with life-threatening illnesses (LTIs) are hospitalized more often and spend more days in the hospital than children without LTIs. Hospitalizations may be associated with changes in health status of children with LTIs and thus alter their care needs significantly. Transitional care is particularly relevant for this population.

Managing medical equipment used by technology-dependent children: evaluation of an instructional tool for pediatric residents and medical students.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a workshop on managing medical devices used in technology-dependent children.

Methods: Study participants included residents and medical students rotating in the pediatrics department at the time of the study. A workshop was conducted consisting of learning stations for common medical devices, including brief presentations and opportunities for hands-on practice with each device.