Standardized HFNC Protocol for Bronchiolitis with Lower Targeted SpO2 Goal (90-95%) Decreases Hospital and ICU Length of Stay

Background The AAP recommends targeting oxygen saturation (SpO2) ≥90% for bronchiolitis. High flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is an effective therapy for bronchiolitis, but the effect of applying a specific SpO2 target to infants and children receiving HFNC for bronchiolitis is not known. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of a quality improvement initiative that instituted a standardized SpO2 goal (90-95%) to a non-standardized SpO2 goal to determine the impact on outcomes among critically ill children with bronchiolitis. Methodology A standardized protocol of HFNC with SpO2 targets for management of bronchiolitis was implemented at UC Davis Children’s Hospital in March 2019. We retrospectively studied patients hospitalized 1/1/18-12/31/18 as the “non-standardized SpO2” …