J Korean Acad Child Health Nurs.  2012 Jan;18(1):9-18.

Factors Influencing Readmission of Home Ventilator-Assisted Children

• Kim MH
• Kim HS
• Park JD

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to analyze factors affecting readmission of children with home ventilator care.
METHODS
To collect patient data, a retrospective chart review was done of medical records of children admitted between June 1, 2007 and May 31, 2010 at one children's hospital located in Seoul. During that period 30 children were discharged with a home ventilator.
RESULTS
Twenty-one of these children had a total of 63 readmissions during the study period, averaging 2.1 readmissions per child with a mean duration of hospitalization of 7.4 days. Children with nasogastric tubes were more frequently readmitted (t=7.232, p=.012) and duration of hospitalization was significantly longer (t=4.761, p=.038). Children who had cardio-pulmonary comorbidity were more frequently readmitted and had longer hospitalization than children without comorbidity (t=5.444, p=.027). When home ventilator assisted children were admitted via emergency room, they were hospitalized longer (t=14.686, p<.001). Cardio-pulmonary morbidity and readmission via ER explained 38.1% of variation for readmission. Feeding method explained 15.0% of variation in length of hospitalization.
CONCLUSION
The results suggest that health care providers must give individualized education on home ventilator care to parents with children who are at risk for readmission due to cardio-pulmonary comorbidities, nasogastric tube, or readmission via ER.

Keyword

Ventilators; mechanical; Hospital readmission; Respiratory insufficiency

MeSH Terms

Child
Comorbidity
Emergencies
Feeding Methods
Health Personnel
Hospitalization
Humans
Medical Records
Parents
Patient Readmission
Respiratory Insufficiency
Retrospective Studies
Ventilators, Mechanical
Child Health