Special Equipment Used in Pediatrics/PICU

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I'm still in nursing school and have been assigned to do a presentation over pediatrics. One of the questions we are supposed to address is what special equipment is used. I know that things are small, pediatric stethoscopes, blood pressure cuff, scales, needles, etc., but is there any equipment that is used in pediatrics and not common in adult units or is significantly different, not just smaller? Our presentation is also supposed to include PICU.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

If your presentation is specifically on PICU, I would also include the neonate/peds size ambu bags for CPR.

Peds also tends to use diaper scales to weigh diapers for output.

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The Berlin Heart would be a great one to talk about if you wanted something really interesting. It's a ventricular assist device designed specifically for children to bridge them to heart transplant. There are three sizes and can be used in infants as small as 3kg (6lbs or so). You will also get to brush up on your heart anatomy :-)

For some patient stories: Berlin Heart

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

My unit is the North American training centre for the Berlin Heart. We've been using them since 2005 for bridge to transplant.

David The Recipient: Five Years Later and I'm STILL WINNING

http://www.heartbeats.ca/uploads/docs/Fall2007_KeepingTheBeat.pdf

We have one patient who is 628 days from implant and doing well while waiting and another who was recently transplanted.

We have successfully explanted a number of children whose hearts recovered sufficiently after a period of time with BH support for them to thrive.

First pediatric patient in Canada weaned from Berlin Heart after own heart recovers | Hospital News

Girl?s heart heals while on transplant list | News & Events | Alberta Health Services

We're also using a totally implantable device for some children called the HeartWare since the summer of 2011. Our smallest recipient so far was about 18 kg. (I prefer this device to the Berlin Heart. Much easier to manage!)

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CGAQtwIwBg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dv8aIeoHXTMw&ei=lFe1UNmKJOjkyAGumYDYDw&usg=AFQjCNFEReBzVEQZaqOsRVRpV9fzJ4qLHg

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CFoQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Flarryhusten%2F2012%2F04%2F25%2Ffda-advisory-panel-gives-green-light-to-heartware-ventricular-assist-system%2F&ei=lFe1UNmKJOjkyAGumYDYDw&usg=AFQjCNHymFA1ms9Rbm9R23mfUmgTf6IlIw

Merv Sheppard's Transplant Network: Breakthrough heart pump spares teen a transplant

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That you so much! This is just what I needed. I'm not sure why I didn't think of those or it was so tough to find on the internet.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

We just heard that our smallest patient to receive a HeartWare is also the youngest ever... at 6 years old. This kiddo popped in for a visit recently and we learned that discharge has already happened - HOME! Small children with Berlins can't go home because they need to be on the stationary IKUS driver and it's just not portable. I suspect we're going to be seeing a lot more HeartWares.

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We just heard that our smallest patient to receive a HeartWare is also the youngest ever... at 6 years old. This kiddo popped in for a visit recently and we learned that discharge has already happened - HOME! Small children with Berlins can't go home because they need to be on the stationary IKUS driver and it's just not portable. I suspect we're going to be seeing a lot more HeartWares.

That's awesome! We've JUST started doing Berlin's about a year ago...those kids still stay in our ICU until transplant, can't even go to the floor, we're a bit behind the times I guess, I'm thinking the HeartWare is a long ways off here!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

Our peds VAD director came here from Berlin in 2005. He's been with the Berlin Heart program for more than a decade. When our program was set up, the intention from the beginning was that kids with VADs would lead as normal a life as possible while they waited. They're transferred to the floor as soon as their condition is stable and their anticoagulation is sorted out. The nurses on our CV surgical floor are actually much more competent at managing them than we in PICU are. One of our teenagers not only went home (first Berlin recipient outside of Europe to do so), but played basketball with the device. Our littlest HeartWare kiddie rides a bike for physio. Last winter the physio team took three of our VAD kids outside then paged the director to come out and see them. They threw snowballs at him and had a fabulous time. It's really quite amazing.

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Jan I need to come work with you! :-)

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

I'll put in a good word for you...

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