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A Collaborative In Situ Simulation-based Pediatric Readiness Improvement Program for Community Emergency Departments
Kamal Abulebda1, Riad Lutfi1, Travis Whitfill2
1Department of Pediatrics, Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN.
Summary
Pediatric readiness scores in 10 emergency departments significantly improved after a simulation-based program. This initiative enhanced care for children in community hospitals, showing simulation
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Pediatric Care
- Healthcare Quality Improvement
Background:
- Over 30 million children annually visit U.S. emergency departments (EDs), many in facilities not designed for pediatric care.
- A national assessment revealed significant variations in pediatric readiness scores across U.S. EDs, with a national average of 69/100.
- Previous efforts to improve pediatric readiness primarily relied on online resources, with limited success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of an in-situ simulation-based program on pediatric readiness scores in 10 community hospitals.
- To improve pediatric readiness scores in participating emergency departments.
- To explore the correlation between simulation performance and pediatric readiness scores.
Main Methods:
- An interventional study measuring the Pediatric Readiness Survey (PRS) before and after a program involving in-situ simulations, report-outs, and online resources.
- Multiprofessional teams participated in three standardized simulation scenarios: respiratory failure, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT).
- Simulation performance was scored, and PRS improvements were compared pre- and post-intervention; correlation analysis was performed.
Main Results:
- Pediatric Readiness Survey scores significantly improved from 58.4 to 74.7 (p=0.009) in the 10 participating EDs.
- Adherence to scenario guidelines during simulations ranged from 54.7% to 62.4%.
- No significant correlation was found between simulation performance and PRS scores; medium pediatric volume EDs had higher PRS scores than medium-to-high volume EDs.
Conclusions:
- A collaborative, simulation-based improvement program was associated with enhanced pediatric readiness in community hospital EDs.
- The findings support the expansion of simulation-based programs to establish a national model for improving pediatric readiness.
- Future work will focus on network expansion and developing a national framework for pediatric readiness enhancement.
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