No one wants to believe that a pediatric mass casualty incident will occur where they live and work, but, unfortunately, the recent events in Boston have shown that this is a very real possibility. In the event an incident occurs, preparation, response, and management of all of the victims, including the children, are critical and will define the future for each of the victims. The author reviews the basics for preparation and steps to recognize, prepare, and maximize the possibility of a good outcome in the event of a pediatric disaster.
he American College of Surgeons in 2008 released the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) updates (eighth edition) with recommendations based on evidence-based medicine in addition to the expert consensus.
The purpose of this study was to compare the usual method of physician-directed weaning from mechanical ventilation to a weaning protocol directed and managed by bedside ICU nurses.
In this multicenter observational study carried out in eight ICUs in France, Cracco and colleagues evaluated the safety of fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) when performed in acutely ill, nonintubated patients who were receiving supplemental oxygen and/or noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV).