TOwards enhancing Paediatric Intensive Care for Children with Medical Complexity (ToPIC CMC): a mixed-methods study...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric critical care medicine
• Family-centered care models
• Integrated knowledge translation

Background:

• Increasing survival of children with medical complexity (CMC) necessitates improved care strategies.
• Parental expertise in caring for CMC can create challenges in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).
• Patient and family-centered care (PFCC) is foundational but difficult to implement in acute settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance PFCC for CMC in the PICU.
• To implement and evaluate practice changes using an integrated knowledge translation approach.
• To improve care experiences and outcomes for CMC and their families.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-method concurrent triangulation design.
• Experience-based Co-design (EBCD) for qualitative data collection involving parents, CMC, and staff.
• Pre- and post-practice change evaluation with a control site for quantitative data.

Main Results:

• Qualitative and quantitative data analysis will reveal the impact of PICU practice changes on PFCC.
• The study will identify priorities and strategies for improving care through EBCD.
• Evaluation will compare practice changes against a control site.

Conclusions:

• Integrating parental expertise and clinical practice is key to advancing PFCC for CMC in the PICU.
• The study's findings will inform recommendations for improved pediatric intensive care.
• Dissemination includes traditional academic outputs and innovative knowledge products like a short film.