title: A paediatric day unit: the first year's experience.
abstract: In June 1989 a day unit was introduced into the paediatric department of Christchurch Hospital. Over the subsequent year, 1308 admissions occurred to the unit. Five hundred and thirty (40.6%) of the children were discharged home on the day of referral, only 22 (4%), were readmitted to the inpatient facility within a week of their first assessment. The common conditions dealt with were asthma and acute respiratory tract infection and the pattern generally reflected that normally seen in the inpatient wards. The average stay in the day unit was four hours thirty minutes. The day unit has proved to be effective in reducing overnight inpatient admissions but it requires a higher staff ratio than allocated to ensure rapid and efficient turnover. Utilisation on the weekends and wider use by other specialities dealing with children would increase the units effectiveness further.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Christchurch School of Medicine.
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mogridge
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Abbott
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003631:Day Care, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000458:organization & administration; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000628:therapy