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

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) visiting policies around the world and how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected these policies, due to concerns relating to a viral transmission. A web-based international survey was designed and disseminated through social networks, emails, or direct messages. 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 the pandemic, reported admission/visiting policies already varied between continents. Family time schedules remained similar to the 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 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS COV-2) in only part of studied PICUs. Isolation precautions for the visitors were intensified at the onset of the pandemic. Changes in visiting policies were observed in most PICUs worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, with some PICUs prohibiting any visitation by families. These changes can decrease possibilities of parental participation in emotional support and reduction of sedation needs, early mobility, and shared decision-making process and impact negatively both children and parental well-being and even patients' outcomes.