Intrahospital transport practices of pediatric intensive care units and adverse events experienced during transport process in Türkiye

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the intrahospital transport practices of pediatric intensive care units and the adverse events that occurred during intrahospital transport in T & uuml;rkiye. Method: In this descriptive study, a questionnaire with 22 questions was used, which was created by the researchers based on the relevant literature. The questionnaire was filled out electronically. Results: The study included 26 centers from 13 different provinces. In terms of intrahospital transport practices, 53.8% of the units lacked a written protocol for patient transport, and 92.3% did not utilize a transport preparation checklist. It was determined that in 65.4% of the units, a nurse accompanied a physician during transport. Examining the adverse events during intrahospital transport, findings reveal that 96.2% of the units reported a decrease in oxygen saturation, 80.8% hypotension, 73.1% hypothermia, 61.5% unplanned extubation, and 61.5% cardiac arrest. It was found that 7.7% of the units had an accident with mortality during transportation. Conclusion: As a result of our study, it has been determined that many of the measures recommended in the literature to ensure the safe transport of intensive care patients are implemented at varying rates, and adverse events occur during intrahospital transport. In pediatric intensive care units, it is crucial to utilize a written in -hospital transport protocol when transporting pediatric patients and to enhance monitoring procedures during transportation.