Belen ATES, Sıla ZAVOTÇU, Melda ORUÇOĞLU, Ülgen Bilge TÜFEKÇİ, Eda IŞIK, Alper KAÇAR, Adem KARBUZ
Eurasian Journal of Critical Care - 2026;8(2):77-83
Background: The aim of our study is to evaluate the reasons for using pediatric emergency services, patient volume, and the rates of admission to intensive care units and inpatient wards in the pediatric emergency department observation unit. Materials and Methods: Data from 6,846 patients monitored in the pediatric emergency department observation unit at Prof. Dr. Cemil Tascioglu City Hospital were analyzed between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023. The data collected included: date and time of application, age, gender, diagnosis, disease group, length of stay in observation, ward admission, intensive care unit admission, referral unit, presence of chronic conditions, medications used, discharge status, treatment refusal, and histories of previous ward and intensive care unit admissions. Results: Of the 6,846 patients, the most common diseases were respiratory (23.2%) and gastrointestinal (23.1%).Significant differences in observation duration were observed among patients with a history of prior hospitalization (p=0.004) and those admitted to the intensive care unit (p<0.001). The relationship between younger age and longer observation duration was significant (p=0.031). Observation duration was longer in patients with previous ward admission (p = 0.004). Prior hospitalization was associated with an increased risk of ward admission (p < 0.001), while chronic illnesses were associated with an increased risk of intensive care unit admission (p = 0.004). Conclusion: Infants and males were admitted more frequently, with notable seasonal and hourly peaks. Prior hospitalization strongly predicted intensive care unit or ward admission, underscoring the value of medical history in triage. Observation units play a critical role in improving triage efficiency, reducing unnecessary admissions, and optimizing resource allocation in tertiary pediatric emergency care.
