Preventing hypothermia in infants – Sustainable improvements or the Hawthorne effect?

Nixon, Cameron L.; Kulesus, Kaitlyn J.; Tanaka, Kenichi A.; Butt, Amir L.

The article in Pediatric Anesthesia discusses a quality improvement initiative aimed at reducing postoperative infant hypothermia, which achieved a 33% reduction over 26 weeks. However, the study design and results may have been influenced by the Hawthorne effect, a psychological phenomenon that can inflate project achievements temporarily. The study's short timeline and lack of detailed population information raise concerns about the sustainability and accuracy of the results. The statistical analysis approach used in the study may also lead to incorrect conclusions, limiting the ability to draw meaningful conclusions from the findings.

HAWTHORNE effect; COVID-19 pandemic; INFANT incubators; TRANSPORTATION of patients; UNIVARIATE analysis

Pediatric Anesthesia, 2024, Vol 34, Issue 12, p1284

1155-5645

Academic Journal

10.1111/pan.14984