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Background: Internationally, there is an increasing trend in using Rapid Response Systems (RRS) to stabilize in-patient deterioration. Despite a growing evidence base, there remains limited understanding of the processes in place to aid the early recognition and response to deteriorating children in hospitals across Europe., Aim: To describe the processes in place for early recognition and response to in-patient deterioration in children in European hospitals., Study Design: A cross-sectional opportunistic multi-centre European study, of hospitals with paediatric in-patients, using a descriptive self-reported, web-based survey, was conducted between September 2021 and March 2022. The sampling method used chain referral through members of European and national societies, led by country leads. The survey instrument was an adaptation to the survey of Recognition and Response Systems in Australia. The study received ethics approval. Descriptive analysis and Chi-squared tests were performed to compare results in European regions., Results: A total of 185 questionnaires from 21 European countries were received. The majority of respondents (n = 153, 83%) reported having written policies, protocols, or guidelines, regarding the measurement of physiological observations. Over half (n = 120, 65%) reported that their hospital uses a Paediatric Early Warning System (PEWS) and 75 (41%) reported having a Rapid Response Team (RRT). Approximately one-third (38%) reported that their hospital collects specific data about the effectiveness of their RRS, while 100 (54%) reported providing regular training and education to support it. European regional differences existed in PEWS utilization (North = 98%, Centre = 25%, South = 44%, p < .001) and process evaluation (North = 49%, Centre = 6%, South = 36%, p < .001)., Conclusions: RRS practices in European hospitals are heterogeneous. Differences in the uptake of PEWS and RRS process evaluation emerged across Europe., Relevance to Clinical Practice: It is important to scope practices for the safe monitoring and management of deteriorating children in hospital across Europe. To reduce variance in practice, a consensus statement endorsed by paediatric and intensive care societies could provide guidance and resources to support PEWS implementation and for the operational governance required for continuous quality improvement., (© 2024 The Author(s). Nursing in Critical Care published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Association of Critical Care Nurses.)

Objective: To describe the management of anemia at PICU discharge by pediatric intensivists., Design: Self-administered, online, scenario-based survey., Setting: PICUs in Australia/New Zealand, Europe, and North America., Subjects: Pediatric intensivists., Interventions: None., Measurements and Main Results: Respondents were asked to report their decisions regarding RBC transfusions, iron, and erythropoietin prescription to children ready to be discharged from PICU, who had been admitted for hemorrhagic shock, cardiac surgery, craniofacial surgery, and polytrauma. Clinical and biological variables were altered separately in order to assess their effect on the management of anemia. Two-hundred seventeen responses were analyzed. They reported that the mean (± SEM) transfusion threshold was a hemoglobin level of 6.9 ± 0.09 g/dL after hemorrhagic shock, 7.6 ± 0.10 g/dL after cardiac surgery, 7.0 ± 0.10 g/dL after craniofacial surgery, and 7.0 ± 0.10 g/dL after polytrauma (p < 0.001). The most important increase in transfusion threshold was observed in the presence of a cyanotic heart disease (mean increase ranging from 1.80 to 2.30 g/dL when compared with baseline scenario) or left ventricular dysfunction (mean increase, 1.41-2.15 g/dL). One third of respondents stated that they would not prescribe iron at PICU discharge, regardless of the hemoglobin level or the baseline scenario. Most respondents (69.4-75.0%, depending on the scenario) did not prescribe erythropoietin., Conclusions: Pediatric intensivists state that they use restrictive transfusion strategies at PICU discharge similar to those they use during the acute phase of critical illness. Supplemental iron is less frequently prescribed than RBCs, and prescription of erythropoietin is uncommon. Optimal management of post-PICU anemia is currently unknown. Further studies are required to highlight the consequences of this anemia and to determine appropriate management.