Impact of Physician Characteristics on Late-Onset Sepsis (LOS) Evaluation in the NICU

Autor: Harshkumar R. Patel, Blaine Traylor, Mohamed Farooq Ahamed, Ginger Darling, Albert Botchway, Beau J. Batton, Venkata Sasidhar Majjiga
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Healthcare, Vol 12, Iss 8, p 845 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 12080845
2227-9032
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12080845
Popis: The threshold for a late-onset sepsis (LOS) evaluation varies considerably across NICUs. This unexplained variability is probably related in part to physician bias regarding when sepsis should be “ruled out”. The aim of this study is to determine if physician characteristics (race, gender, immigration status, years of experience and academic rank) effect LOS evaluation in the NICU. This study includes a retrospective chart review of all Level III NICU infants who had a LOS evaluation over 54 months. Physician characteristics were compared between positive and negative blood culture groups and whether CBC and CRP were obtained at LOS evaluations. There were 341 LOS evaluations performed during the study period. Two patients were excluded due to a contaminant. Patients in this study had a birth weight of [median (Q1, Q3)]+ 992 (720, 1820) grams and birth gestation of [median (Q1, Q3)] 276/7 (252/7, 330/7) weeks. There are 10 neonatologists in the group, 5/10 being female and 6/10 being immigrant physicians. Experienced physicians were more likely to obtain a CBC at the time of LOS evaluation. Physician characteristics of race, gender and immigration status impacted whether to include a CRP as part of a LOS evaluation but otherwise did not influence LOS evaluation, including the likelihood of bacteremia.
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