UTILIZATION PATTERN OF THE PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT OF THE ALEXANDRIA UNIVERSITY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL DURING THE YEAR 1998.

Abstract

The newly established PICU-AUCH is growing amazingly fast, thanks to the sincere efforts of all the working staff, doctors and nurses alike. In such situation, work evaluation is always a mean to set bases for future improvement. The aim of this work was, thus, to evaluate the PICU-AUCH activites in the year I998. This year was chosen because it was the complete year closest to the time of the study.

The total number of cases that was admitted to the PICU in the year I998 was 266. Considering the number of beds (six including one incubator), the turn over rate was 44.3 case per bed per year. The bed occupancy rate was calculated to be 94.2 % . The age ranged from I 0 days to I4 years with a mean of I 0 months. Patients below I year of age composed 78% of all admissions. On the whole males were predominant, as they constituted 59% of the total admissions while females were only 4I%. Interestingly male preponderance is obvious in all age groups. Patients from rural areas were more than those from the urban city of Alexandria. The percentages were 55.6% and 44.4% respectively.

The months of December, January, March and August have the highest admission values. They are all close to I 0% thus indicating three peaks in cold winter and spring months (December, January and March) and one peak in hot summer month (August). In relation to the day of the week It appears that except for Saturday the brunt of admission was in the first half of the week with two prominent peaks on Monday (21.3%) and Tuesday