Current situation of pediatric intensive care specialty and pediatric intensive care units in Turkey: Results of a national survey

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we have planned to present the results of a national survey performed to evaluate the last situation of pediatric intensive care specialty and pediatric intensive care units in Turkey. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have sent an electronic survey which includes 47 questions about the characteristics of pediatric intensive care units, staff, and equipment to members of the Turkish Society of Pediatric Emergency and Intensive Care via email. RESULTS: A total of 58 participant units responded to our survey. 93.2% of the centers have tertiary level pediatric intensive care units. There were 841 tertiary level pediatric intensive care beds. There were 35 pediatric intensive care faculty members, 44 pediatric intensive care specialists, and 53 pediatric intensive care fellows. In the participant units, the total number of invasive mechanical ventilators in the units was 806, the number of specific non-invasive mechanical ventilators was 126. It was learned that 79.3% of the centers could apply continuous renal replacement therapy, 84.4% of therapeutic plasma exchange, 46.5% of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. CONCLUSION: We see that the way we have traveled in the 20 years since the establishment of the first units is very important and proud. The number of educated new generation pediatric intensive care specialists and the well-equipped pediatric intensive care units established by these specialists in every region of our country together with the fellowship education applied in many centers make a great contribution to the treatment of the critically ill pediatric patient population in our country.