Pediatric Readiness Quality Improvement Collaborative Kicks Off

The new cohort of the Pediatric Readiness Quality Improvement Collaborative (PRQC) kicked off this month with 200 emergency department (ED)-based teams in 42 states and territories. The collaborative brings together teams across the country to improve pediatric readiness and continues work started in 2018.

PRQC focuses on the work of the National Pediatric Readiness Project (NPRP) to help participating ED teams take the next steps in addressing gaps identified by the NPRP assessment. The clinical areas of focus selected for the 2023 PRQC cohort were based on gaps identified by the NPRP assessment. Participating ED sites will select any of the following clinical areas of focus:

● Pediatric Patient Safety: recording pediatric patients’ weight in kilograms

● Pediatric Assessment and Reassessment: providing early notification for abnormal vital signs

● Pain Assessment: ensuring pediatric pain is assessed and managed

● Suicide: optimizing screening and treatment

Participating teams will have access to monthly learning sessions and intervention bundles (resources and guidance for each of the four focus areas), as well as the opportunity to attend optional fireside chats (informal, in-depth discussions that delve further into the focus areas along with quality improvement and data literacy). They will also gain access to a data platform, the National Pediatric Readiness Quality Initiative, where they can view, measure, and analyze improvement efforts in real time and at the patient level.

A New Emphasis on Trauma Centers

This year, the PRQC saw a large number of trauma center teams enrolling due to new standards for pediatric readiness. The standards published March 2022 in the seventh edition of “Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient” requires all trauma centers to participate in the National Pediatric Readiness Project assessment. If any gaps in pediatric readiness are identified, the new standard will require that trauma centers develop a plan to address them.

“The American College of Surgeons has added new standards on pediatric readiness and is placing a priority on caring for children no matter where that child is presented in our nation,” says Lisa Gray, MHA, BSN, RN, CPN, TCRN , Co-Lead of both the Hospital Domain and the Trauma Domain in the EMSC Innovation & Improvement Center (EIIC). “Our national trauma systems are equipped to serve adults, and now is the time to elevate that quality of care for children in our national trauma system. PRQC is doing that.”

Learn more about PRQC.