Therapeutic Passes: Highlighting Caregivers' Attitudes and Beliefs Among the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Population

Topic Significance & Study Purpose/Background/Rationale: Pediatric patients undergoing an umbilical cord blood or bone marrow transplant endure a prolonged hospitalization.  Among treatment institutions, variability exists surrounding the beliefs and utilization of therapeutic passes within the inpatient population.  Patients on our transplant unit are permitted to go on therapeutic passes, 1-4 hours in length, in preparation for discharge.   The medical team endorses such benefits as improved oral intake, ambulation, and affect, along with decreased anxiety related to leaving the hospital as discharge approaches. Although these benefits are frequently observed, there is minimal literature to support their advantages and routine use.   

Methods, Intervention, & Analysis: Due to the gap in literature, a quality improvement project aimed at assessing the nurses’ and patients’ primary care givers’ attitudes and beliefs on the benefits of therapeutic passes is underway.  In order to assess these beliefs and attitudes, nurses and primary care givers will complete an anonymous pilot survey.  No new intervention will be implemented; rather this will statistically assess and describe trends of a current practice.   

Findings & Interpretation: Data analysis will highlight beliefs and perspectives including an appraisal of the following patient and family-centered elements: hope, stress, anxiety, normalcy, physical activity, nutrition, affect, and discharge readiness.  

Discussion & Implications: This project will establish a knowledge foundation on this underutilized intervention.  Further research could then be built upon this initial assessment promoting more widespread use of therapeutic passes among blood and marrow transplant institutions.