Clinical profile and Physiotherapy's role in patients treated at the pediatric emergency of a public hospital in Goiás , Brazil

Abstract

In recent years, Physiotherapy's role has increased in the emergency departments, to reduce complications and the time of hospital internment. The objectives of this study were to describe the profile of patients admitted at the resuscitation room of Reference Service in Pediatric Emergency (SERUPE), of Hospital das Clínicas of the Universidade Federal de Goiás (HC/UFG), and to characterize the Physiotherapy's role in this sector. This is an observational and prospective study, conducted between February and June 2012, in which all the patients admitted to the resuscitation room of SERUPE were monitored. Forty-seven patients were evaluated, 53.2% (n=25) male, average age of 5.2±4.1 years, and 74.5% (n=35) had previous diseases. The most common chief complaint was dyspnea in 26.1% (n=29) of the cases, and the diagnostic hypotheses more identified were respiratory disease in 69.4% (n=43). Of all patients, 76.6% (n=36) needed oxygen therapy, 21.3% (n=10) needed ventilatory support, and 31.9% (n=15) had physiotherapeutic care, 86.7% (n=13) with chest associated to motor physiotherapy. The average time of permanence in the resuscitation room was 1.9±1.5 days; thereafter, 63.8% (n=30) of the patients were hospitalized to the ward. Therefore, it was verified that in the emergency departments there is a great demand of patients with respiratory disorders who may benefit from the presence of a physiotherapist.