Developing the PEDIS Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea Screening Tool

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of apnea in the pediatric population. Its prevalence is 0.7%-3.0% (Garcia et al., 2016). The dangers of OSA are multiplied in conjunction with anesthesia because anesthesia resembles a state of sleeping, relaxing the airway, and requiring more intense airway monitoring. Childhood OSA includes increased risk for developing neurocognitive impairment, behavioral problems, failure to thrive, hypertension, cardiac dysfunction, systemic inflammation, and increased healthcare costs (Kothare et al., 2015). A perioperative pediatric OSA screening tool is necessary to reduce airway risks. The PEDIS screening tool is a brief, efficient, and evidence-based tool capable of preoperatively alerting anesthesia providers of a child at risk for developing respiratory concerns intraoperatively. Project implementation involved a brief, educational PowerPoint presentation regarding the development and use of the screening tool with completion of an anonymous post survey. Based upon all key healthcare providers’ responses in attendance at the tertiary medical center, six (100%) Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists supported screening tool adoption. Future perioperative implementation, data collection, and analysis of the collected data will reveal its efficacy. The tool has begun the process of being adopted, but more support will be needed prior to implementation