Table 1.
Distribution of demographics, tests, treatments and disposition of patients with bronchiolitis among nurse practitioners and physicians in the pediatric emergency department.
| Variable | Total (N=5,260) n (%) |
Nurse practitioner (N=1,598) n (%) |
Physician (N=3,435) n (%) |
Both (N=227) n (%) |
P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age group (months) | |||||
| 1–3 | 581 (11) | 59 (4) | 489 (14) | 33 (15) | <0.001 |
| 4–12 | 2593 (49) | 845 (53) | 1633 (48) | 115 (51) | |
| 13–24 | 2086 (40) | 694 (43) | 1313 (38) | 79 (35) | |
| Diagnostic test | |||||
| Chest radiography | 1959 (37) | 588 (37) | 1259 (37) | 112 (49) | 0.001 |
| Viral testing | 1145 (22) | 350 (22) | 739 (22) | 56 (25) | 0.530 |
| RSV test | 1020 (19) | 205 (13) | 762 (22) | 53 (23) | <0.001 |
| Treatment | |||||
| Bronchodilator | 2970 (57) | 874 (55) | 1943 (57) | 153 (67) | 0.001 |
| Corticosteroid | 1013 (19) | 147 (9) | 812 (24) | 54 (24) | <0.001 |
| Antibiotics | 455 (9) | 123 (8) | 305 (9) | 27 (12) | 0.079 |
| Any ToT | 3284 (80) | 946 (80) | 2158 (80) | 180 (86) | 0.105 |
| Total ToT* | 2 (1–3) | 1 (1–2) | 2 (1–3) | 1 (1–3) | <0.001 |
| Disposition | |||||
| Admission | 1178 (22) | 25 (2) | 1072 (31) | 81 (36) | <0.001 |
| Discharge | 4070 (77) | 1571 (98) | 2353 (69) | 146 (64) | |
| LOS (minutes)* | 144 (91–206) | 137 (105–170) | 149 (61–226) | 182 (93–285) | <0.001 |
RSV=Respiratory syncytial virus; LOS=Length of stay; ToT=test or treatment
*
Median (interquartile range [Q1–Q3])