The care of critically ill adults with COVID-19 in Ontario pediatric intensive care units.

Purpose: To describe and review the experience of two pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) in Ontario, Canada, adapting and providing care to critically ill adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clinical Features: At a time of extreme pressure to adult intensive care unit (ICU) capacity, two PICUs provided care to critically ill adults with COVID-19 pneumonia. Substantial yet rapid planning was required to facilitate safe delivery of critical care to adult patients while maintaining PICU services, including thoughtful development of care pathways and patient selection.

Up to the Challenge: Adapting Pediatric Intensive Care During a Global Pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has strained health systems world wide. In our region, surging numbers of critically ill adult patients demanded urgent system-wide responses. During the peak of the pandemic, our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) team redesigned the existing educational resources and processes of care to ensure for adult patients for the first time in the hospital's history.