Overuse of Continuous Pulse Oximetry in Bronchiolitis

Investigators from multiple institutions conducted a multicenter, cross-sectional study to assess the use of continuous pulse oximetry (cSpO₂) in children hospitalized for bronchiolitis but not needing supplemental oxygen. Patients were eligible if they were (a) 8 weeks through 23 months old, (b) admitted with bronchiolitis from December 2018 to March 2019 to an acute (nonintensive) care ward at a hospital that belongs to the Pediatric Research in Inpatient Settings (PRIS) network, and (c) not receiving any supplemental oxygen at the time of data collection. Patients were excluded if they were born at <28 weeks’ gestation or had cyanotic congenital heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, a home oxygen requirement, or tracheostomy. Demographics and clinical characteristics of participants were obtained from the medical record, …