Abstract
The records of all infants admitted to The Children's Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) during a seven month period were reviewed to determine their lengths of stay. Infants were grouped according to the following birth weight categories: <1000 grams, 1000-1499 grams, 1500-1999 grams, 2000-2499 grams, and ≥ 2500 grams. These five weight groupings were subdivided by outcome; that is, survive or expire. An analysis of the infants who survived revealed an inverse relationship between median length of stay and birth weight. The median length of stay for infants under 1000 grams was 100 days; whereas, for infants 2500 grams and above, it was 9 days. Infants under 1500 grams, who represented 24.3% of the sample, required approximately 50% of the total patient days for all infants. Length of stay for NICU infants cannot be accurately described by any one number. Rather, median length of stay by specific weight groups and outcomes provides a more comprehensive description of this variable. This methodology has potential use for health planners in projecting bed needs and personnel requirements for NICU infants.
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Mccarthy, J., Block, B. & Butterfield, L. 59 LENGTH OF STAY FOR NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT INFANTS. Pediatr Res 12 (Suppl 4), 373 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00064
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00064