Table 5:

Approach to policy exceptions and decision-making authority — survey responses (n = 24)

Factor	No. (%) of respondents
Approach to policy exceptions*
Exceptions enabled by policy	10 (42)
Processes understood but not formalized	4 (17)
No initial policy or process, but developed over study period	7 (29)
No policy	3 (13)
Agreement, no. of pairs (% agreement)†	5 (100)
Decision-making authority
PICU (physician, manager or charge nurse)	9 (38)
Hospital director	8 (33)
Infection prevention and control or emergency operations	6 (25)
Hospital executive	1 (4)
Agreement, no. of pairs (% agreement)†	5 (40)

Note: PICU = pediatric intensive care unit.

^*Exceptions referred to enabling deviation from policy in certain circumstances. Examples of exceptions were: allowing more people at the bedside; allowing siblings; allowing more frequent switches of parents or other family members.

^†Physician chief and operations manager pairs from the same unit for which both provided an answer to the given variable.