Improving mealtimes for paediatric intensive care children and families: A quality improvement initiative.

Background: Many critically ill children can be fed orally at some point during their paediatric intensive care (PICU) stay, but reduced appetite and other factors may impact their intake. At home, oral feeding is usually delivered by parents, so involving parents more actively during mealtimes in the PICU may contribute to improved patient/family satisfaction.

Aim: To assess the impact of a new "room service" initiative involving parents on mealtime quality and on both family and health care professional (HCP) satisfaction.

[Organisation and specificities of a paediatric intensive care unit].

A paediatric intensive care unit is, by definition, a high-tech place where children with life-threatening conditions are cared for. There are considerable challenges for the young patient and their family as well as for the organisation of the care within the units.