Code Team Structure and Training in the Pediatric Resuscitation Quality International Collaborative.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Resuscitation Quality Improvement
• In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Management
• Healthcare Team Dynamics

Background:

• Pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest response relies on code teams, but their structure and training are inconsistent.
• Optimal resuscitation team configurations are not well-defined.
• Understanding current practices is crucial for improving pediatric resuscitation efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the current structure and training of pediatric code teams.
• To identify variations in code team composition, roles, equipment, and training methods.
• To establish a baseline for future research on code team effectiveness in pediatric resuscitation.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous, voluntary survey was distributed to 18 international sites within the Pediatric Resuscitation Quality Collaborative.
• Survey content was developed by investigators and refined through consensus.
• Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the collected data on code team practices.

Main Results:

• All surveyed sites utilize designated code teams and hospital-wide activation systems.
• Code team size varied significantly (3-17 members), with preassigned roles used at 78% of sites.
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) feedback devices were used by 72% of sites, and 67% provided multidisciplinary, simulation-based training.

Conclusions:

• Significant variability exists in pediatric code team structure, equipment, and training across international children's hospitals.
• These identified variations provide a foundation for future studies investigating the impact of code team factors on performance and patient outcomes.
• Standardizing elements of code team structure and training may enhance the quality of pediatric resuscitation.