Lessons from 19 Years of a Pediatric Heart Surgery Volunteer Program in Jamaica: Partnership, Teamwork, and Sustainability.

Background: The purpose of this analysis was to review our 19-year experience (2006-2024) of a pediatric cardiac surgery volunteer program in Jamaica and to examine the transition of surgical responsibility to the local team, case complexity, and Operative Mortality.

Methods: This was a retrospective study with a prospectively maintained database. Data points included diagnosis, procedure, surgeon, assistant, patient age, weight, sex, postoperative complications, and Operative Mortality.

A Randomized Trial of an Exclusive Human Milk Diet in Neonates with Single Ventricle Physiology.

Objective: To determine whether weight gain velocity (g/kg/day) 30 days after the initiation of feeds after cardiac surgery and other clinical outcomes improve in infants with single ventricle physiology fed an exclusive human milk diet compared with a mixed human and bovine diet.

Study Design: In this multicenter, randomized, single blinded, controlled trial, term neonates 7 days of age or younger with single ventricle physiology and anticipated cardiac surgical palliation within 30 days of birth were enrolled at 10 US centers. Both groups received human milk if fed preoperatively.

Preoperative Management of Neonates With Congenital Heart Disease.

Clinicians caring for neonates with congenital heart disease encounter challenges in clinical care as these infants await surgery or are evaluated for further potential interventions. The newborn with heart disease can present with significant pathophysiologic heterogeneity and therefore requires a personalized therapeutic management plan. However, this complex field of neonatal-cardiac hemodynamics can be simplified.

Evaluation of Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Advanced Practice Provider's Leadership Education and Experience During Emergencies.

Background: The number of advanced practice providers (APPs) in pediatric critical care has increased dramatically over recent years, leading to increased opportunities to lead resuscitation teams during pediatric emergent events.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to better understand the emergency leadership experience, training, and education that pediatric cardiac intensive care unit APPs receive.

Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive studying using survey responses.

The Concise Assessment of Leader Management Tool: Evaluation of Healthcare Provider Leadership During Real-Life Pediatric Emergencies.

Introduction: Resuscitation events in pediatric critical and emergency care are high risk, and strong leadership is an important component of an effective response. The Concise Assessment of Leadership Management (CALM) tool, designed to assess the strength of leadership skills during pediatric crises, has shown promising validity and reliability in simulated settings. The objective of this study was to generate further validity and reliability evidence for the CALM by applying it to real-life emergency events.

Prevalence of ICU Delirium in Postoperative Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Patients.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of ICU delirium in children less than 18 years old that underwent cardiac surgery within the last 30 days. The secondary aim of the study was to identify risk factors associated with ICU delirium in postoperative pediatric cardiac surgical patients.

Design: A 1-day, multicenter point-prevalence study of delirium in pediatric postoperative cardiac surgery patients.

Evaluation of Pediatric Cardiac ICU Advanced Practice Provider Education and Practice Variation.

Objectives: The education, training, and scope of practice of cardiac ICU advanced practice providers is highly variable. A survey was administered to cardiac ICU advanced practice providers to examine specific variations in orientation format, competency assessment during and at the end of orientation, and scope of clinical practice to determine gaps in resources and need for standardization.

Design: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study utilizing survey responses.

Efficacy and safety of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator for venous thrombosis after paediatric heart surgery.

Objective: Reports in the literature of treatment with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator following cardiac surgery are limited. We reviewed our experience to provide a case series of the therapeutic use of tissue plasminogen activator for the treatment of venous thrombosis in children after cardiac surgery. The data describe the morbidity, mortality, and clinical outcomes of tissue plasminogen activator administration for treatment of venous thrombosis in children following cardiac surgery.

Improving Communication During Cardiac ICU Multidisciplinary Rounds Through Visual Display of Patient Daily Goals.

Objectives: To improve communication during daily cardiac ICU multidisciplinary rounds.

Design: Quality improvement methodology.

Setting: Twenty-five-bed cardiac ICUs in an academic free-standing pediatric hospital.