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Physician's conceptions of the decision-making process when managing febrile infants ≤ 60 days old : a phenomenographic qualitative study

Orfanos, Ioannis LU orcid ; Lindkvist, Rose-Marie LU orcid ; Eklund, Erik G A LU ; Elfving, Kristina LU ; Alfvén, Tobias LU ; de Koning, Tom J LU and Castor, Charlotte LU (2024) In BMC Pediatrics 24.
Abstract

BACKGROUND: The management of febrile infants aged ≤ 60 days and adherence to guidelines vary greatly. Our objective was to describe the process of decision-making when managing febrile infants aged ≤ 60 days and to describe the factors that influenced this decision.

METHODS: We conducted 6 focus group discussions with 19 clinically active physicians in the pediatric emergency departments of 2 university hospitals in Skåne region, Sweden. We followed an inductive qualitative design, using a phenomenological approach. A second-order perspective was used, focusing on how physicians perceived the phenomenon (managing fever in infants) rather than the phenomenon itself. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using a 7-step... (More)

BACKGROUND: The management of febrile infants aged ≤ 60 days and adherence to guidelines vary greatly. Our objective was to describe the process of decision-making when managing febrile infants aged ≤ 60 days and to describe the factors that influenced this decision.

METHODS: We conducted 6 focus group discussions with 19 clinically active physicians in the pediatric emergency departments of 2 university hospitals in Skåne region, Sweden. We followed an inductive qualitative design, using a phenomenological approach. A second-order perspective was used, focusing on how physicians perceived the phenomenon (managing fever in infants) rather than the phenomenon itself. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using a 7-step approach.

RESULTS: Performing a lumbar puncture (LP) was conceived as a complex, emotionally and mentally laden procedure and dominated the group discussions. Three central categories emerged as factors that influenced the decision-making process on whether to perform an LP: 1) a possible focus of infection that could explain the origin of the fever, 2) questioning whether the temperature at home reported by the parents was a fever, especially if it was ≤ 38.2°C, and 3) the infant's general condition and questioning the need for LP in case of well-appearing infants. Around these 3 central categories evolved 6 secondary categories that influenced the decision-making process of whether to perform an LP or not: 1) the physicians' desire to be able to trust their judgement, 2) fearing the risk of failure, 3) avoiding burdensome work, 4) taking others into account, 5) balancing guidelines and resources, and 6) seeing a need to practice and learn to perform LP.

CONCLUSIONS: The difficulty and emotional load of performing an LP were important factors that influenced the decision-making process regarding whether to perform an LP. Physicians highlighted the importance of being able to rely on their clinical judgment and make independent decisions. Guidelines may consider allowing a degree of flexibility and independent thinking to take into account patients' characteristics and needs.

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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Infant, Child, Humans, Fever/therapy, Physicians, Qualitative Research, Spinal Puncture/methods, Learning
in
BMC Pediatrics
volume
24
article number
81
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85183369950
  • pmid:38279082
ISSN
1471-2431
DOI
10.1186/s12887-024-04548-x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
© 2024. The Author(s).
id
0bd042d2-9d54-46a9-a74d-4b50ca84812d
date added to LUP
2024-01-30 09:20:49
date last changed
2024-04-24 10:28:25
@article{0bd042d2-9d54-46a9-a74d-4b50ca84812d,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: The management of febrile infants aged ≤ 60 days and adherence to guidelines vary greatly. Our objective was to describe the process of decision-making when managing febrile infants aged ≤ 60 days and to describe the factors that influenced this decision.</p><p>METHODS: We conducted 6 focus group discussions with 19 clinically active physicians in the pediatric emergency departments of 2 university hospitals in Skåne region, Sweden. We followed an inductive qualitative design, using a phenomenological approach. A second-order perspective was used, focusing on how physicians perceived the phenomenon (managing fever in infants) rather than the phenomenon itself. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using a 7-step approach.</p><p>RESULTS: Performing a lumbar puncture (LP) was conceived as a complex, emotionally and mentally laden procedure and dominated the group discussions. Three central categories emerged as factors that influenced the decision-making process on whether to perform an LP: 1) a possible focus of infection that could explain the origin of the fever, 2) questioning whether the temperature at home reported by the parents was a fever, especially if it was ≤ 38.2°C, and 3) the infant's general condition and questioning the need for LP in case of well-appearing infants. Around these 3 central categories evolved 6 secondary categories that influenced the decision-making process of whether to perform an LP or not: 1) the physicians' desire to be able to trust their judgement, 2) fearing the risk of failure, 3) avoiding burdensome work, 4) taking others into account, 5) balancing guidelines and resources, and 6) seeing a need to practice and learn to perform LP.</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: The difficulty and emotional load of performing an LP were important factors that influenced the decision-making process regarding whether to perform an LP. Physicians highlighted the importance of being able to rely on their clinical judgment and make independent decisions. Guidelines may consider allowing a degree of flexibility and independent thinking to take into account patients' characteristics and needs.</p>}},
  author       = {{Orfanos, Ioannis and Lindkvist, Rose-Marie and Eklund, Erik G A and Elfving, Kristina and Alfvén, Tobias and de Koning, Tom J and Castor, Charlotte}},
  issn         = {{1471-2431}},
  keywords     = {{Infant; Child; Humans; Fever/therapy; Physicians; Qualitative Research; Spinal Puncture/methods; Learning}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{BMC Pediatrics}},
  title        = {{Physician's conceptions of the decision-making process when managing febrile infants ≤ 60 days old : a phenomenographic qualitative study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-04548-x}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/s12887-024-04548-x}},
  volume       = {{24}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}