Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) Visiting Policies: A Worldwide Survey

Purpose: To evaluate Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) visiting policies around the world; and how COVID-19 pandemic has affected these policies, due to concerns relating to viral transmission.Methods: Web-based international survey was designed and disseminated through social networks, email or direct messages.Results: Two hundred forty-one answers were received. From these, 26 were excluded (13 due to missing location and 13 duplicated answers), resulting in a final number of 215 answers. Europe accounted for 35% of responses (n=77); South America, 22,4% (n=49); North America, 19% (n=41); Asia, 16,5% (n=36); Central America, 2,7% (n=6), Oceania and Africa, 2,2% each (n=5 each). Before pandemic, reported admission/visiting policies already varied between continents. Family time schedules remained similar to pre-pandemic period in half of European, central and south American units; and have changed in 60% of Asian, African, north American and Oceanian units. Access to PICUs has been granted for patients and caregivers tested negative for SARSCOV-2 in only part of studied PICUs. Gowning requirements and hand hygiene upon PICU admission were intensified after pandemic beginning.Conclusions: Visiting policies changes were observed in most PICUs worldwide during COVID-19 pandemic and even prohibited in some units. These changes can decrease possibilities for parental participating in emotional support and reduction of sedation needs, early mobility, shared decision-making process and impact negatively both children and parental well-being and even patients’ outcomes.Funding Information: The authors did not receive any fund for this work.Declaration of Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.Ethics Approval Statement: The study has been waived the need for approval by Institutional review Boards of the authors.