Emergency airway and ventilator procedures for community based home care staff validation of an educational program.

Background: Children discharged home with tracheostomy and chronic mechanical ventilator support are at high risk for complications and adverse events. Private duty nursing and home respiratory care services are a critical support necessary for successful discharge. The literature suggests that there are opportunities for home care staff (HCS) to improve upon the skills necessary to assess and intervene in an emergency thereby increasing the likelihood of improving long-term outcomes.

Tracheotomy in very low birth weight neonates: indications and outcomes.

Objective/hypothesis: To review incidence of, indications for, and outcomes of tracheotomy in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.

Study Design: Retrospective review in tertiary care hospital.

Methods: Eighteen VLBW (<1,500 g) infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia undergoing tracheotomy in the neonatal intensive care unit between October 1997 and June 2002 were studied.

Diagnosis and treatment of the child with a draining ear.

Treating a child with a draining ear is a common occurrence in the pediatric primary office. The symptoms of otorrhea are broad, and a multitude of factors must be considered in arriving at a diagnosis. The assessment begins with a thorough history of the frequency, duration, and characteristics of the drainage.