The Canadian anaphylaxis action plan for kids: development and validation.

Objectives: We designed a written Canadian Anaphylaxis Action Plan for Kids (Kids' CAP) which incorporates validated pictograms with written instructions. Using a patient-centered approach, we aimed to validate the Kids' CAP and assess its impact on anaphylaxis recognition and treatment, and to determine its' perceived usefulness.

Patient Involvement: Children and their parents were involved in appraising the design and written contents of the Kids' CAP.

Design and validation of pictograms in a pediatric anaphylaxis action plan.

Background: Current anaphylaxis action plans (AAPs) are based on written instructions without inclusion of pictograms.

Objectives: To develop an AAP with pictorial aids and to prospectively validate the pictogram components of this plan.

Methods: Participants recruited from the emergency department and allergy clinic participated in a questionnaire to validate pictograms depicting key counseling points of an anaphylactic reaction.

Evaluation, modification and validation of a set of asthma illustrations in children with chronic asthma in the emergency department.

Objectives: To test, modify and validate a set of illustrations depicting different levels of asthma control and common asthma triggers in pediatric patients (and⁄or their parents) with chronic asthma who presented to the emergency department at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario.

Methods: Semistructured interviews using guessability and translucency questionnaires tested the comprehensibility of 15 illustrations depicting different levels of asthma control and common asthma triggers in children 10 to 17 years of age, and parents of children one to nine years of age who presented to the emergency department. Illustrations with an overall guessability score <80% and⁄or translucency median score <6, were reviewed by the study team and modified by the study's graphic designer.

Development, dissemination and implementation of a sedation and analgesic guideline in a pediatric intensive care unit...it takes creativity and collaboration.

Sedation and analgesia are administered to critically ill children to provide comfort and pain relief, decrease anxiety and to promote patient safety in relation to life-saving treatments. A comprehensive practice guideline focused on ways to implement evidence-based sedation and analgesia practices was developed, disseminated and implemented by an interprofessional team in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa, Canada. The goals of this quality of care initiative were to (1) reduce inconsistent practices, (2) improve patient outcomes related to comfort, and (3) enhance collaboration among health care team members caring for critically ill children.

Standard concentrations of high-alert drug infusions across paediatric acute care.

Background: To reduce the risk of medication errors in paediatric patients, the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation endorsed the standardization and limiting of drug concentrations available within an organization.

Methods: Standard concentrations (SCs) were implemented in the emergency department, operating room and paediatric intensive care unit at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa, Ontario. The change in practice involved addressing concerns raised during stakeholder consultations, developing a computer program, and educating and testing staff in the new method.