Research
We work closely with Pediatric Emergency Research Canada (PERC) and other organizations to mobilize the latest evidence in children’s emergency care. Part of this work includes providing knowledge translation and communications support within research projects.
Working with experts in the fields of pediatrics and child health, we work to expand our Evidence Repository based on the needs of general emergency departments. TREKK has more than 30 world-renowned researchers and content advisers across North America developing resources for healthcare professionals, as well as parents and families.
At TREKK, we focus on knowledge translation – specifically, transforming knowledge into tools that can be used in practice. For more information about knowledge translation, check out the links below:
- Knowledge Nudge
- Knowledge Translation at the George and Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation
- Knowledge Translation Canada
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
If you are interested in collaborating with TREKK, please contact us.
Research in Progress:
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Pediatric Readiness Surveys - surveys with EDs and nursing stations across Manitoba and EDs in Ontario are in progress to identify how prepared a site is for a pediatric emergency. Results will highlight any gaps in pediatric equipment, medicines, resources, and training, which will help set goals for improvement and managing progress.
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New parent tools - New research is also underway to develop new parent tools. Visit ECHO Research for more information.
Completed research:
Social Networking Analysis
In 2016, a qualitative social network analysis helped us gain a more in-depth understanding of the network processes and context. Semi-structured interviews with 22 general ED healthcare professionals highlighted the use of resources, outreach education sessions, and talking to colleagues in pediatric EDs as common sources of information for both nurses and physicians, and suggested that the priorities and investments of TREKK were in line with their information needs and that TREKK resources and processes are being used as regional benchmarks across a number of EDs. As network connections strengthened, healthcare professionals not only felt an increased level of comfort to seek out clinical advice from pediatric EDs but also commonly shared knowledge gained through these encounters with colleagues in their local ED, amplifying the sharing of knowledge.
Related publications:
Needs Assessment
Our national needs assessment, led by Dr. Shannon Scott, surveyed more than 1,400 general ED clinicians and 1000 parents across Canada, resulting in the largest known knowledge needs assessment of emergency care in Canada. TREKK coordinators from 12 pediatric hospitals visited 32 general ED sites (rural, remote and urban) to collect survey data. Seven focus groups with ED healthcare professionals discussed the survey findings in more detail. An in-person data collection strategy was purposefully designed to help build strong relationships between the general EDs and pediatric hospitals, which have been critical for effective knowledge mobilization. In total, 58 health care professionals participated in the qualitative needs assessment across two urban, three rural, and two remote sites. The findings have been fundamental in identifying priority topics and methods to develop resources and share evidence.
Reference: Scott, S.D., Albrecht, L., Given, L.M., Hartling, L., Johnson, D.W., Jabbour, M., Klassen, T.P. (2017). Pediatric information seeking behaviour, information needs, and information preferences of health care professionals in general emergency departments: Results from the Translating Emergency Knowledge for Kids (TREKK) Needs Assessment. Edmonton, AB: Translating Emergency Kids (TREKK) Mobilization Centre.
