What We Do

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. To learn more: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28067181/ and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27358205

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 emergency department (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. To learn more: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/canadian-journal-of-emergency-medicine/article/knowledge-sharing-between-general-and-pediatric-emergency-departments-connections-barriers-and-opportunities/612915FBF891653ADEE2A14947BFF331

We are proud to partner with the Manitoba Métis Federation on a project to support Red River Métis families’ access to meaningful and appropriate materials when seeking emergency care for their children. We have spoken with Red River Métis parents and Elders in Manitoba to learn about their child health information needs and preferences. Together, we will be adapting some of our existing parent tools to better meet their needs.

More information can be found in our scoping review, published in BMJ Open.

Our findings will also inform the CIHR-funded Cultural Adaptations Methods Working Group (led by Drs. Sarah Elliot, Lisa Hartling and Shannon Scott at the University of Alberta).

POPCORN brings together researchers, clinicians, decision-makers, and patient partners to form a pan-Canadian pediatric research network and answer important questions in child health.

We are proud to be part of POPCORN and lead its knowledge mobilization (KM) pillar. The KM pillar works in collaboration with the patient engagement team, knowledge users (e.g. Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)), project leads, and coordinating centre (Maternal Infant Child and Youth Research Network (MICYRN)) to establish a network that can respond rapidly to health emergencies and pandemics. We are developing a communications plan to connect researchers and knowledge users (patient partners and decision-makers) to identify research priorities, establish research questions, interpret results, and share study findings.

While created in response to COVID-19, the platform will provide the infrastructure to prepare for future pandemics. For more information, please contact POPCORN

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. To learn more: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28067181/ and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27358205

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 emergency department (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. To learn more: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/canadian-journal-of-emergency-medicine/article/knowledge-sharing-between-general-and-pediatric-emergency-departments-connections-barriers-and-opportunities/612915FBF891653ADEE2A14947BFF331

We are proud to partner with the Manitoba Métis Federation on a project to support Red River Métis families’ access to meaningful and appropriate materials when seeking emergency care for their children. We have spoken with Red River Métis parents and Elders in Manitoba to learn about their child health information needs and preferences. Together, we will be adapting some of our existing parent tools to better meet their needs.

More information can be found in our scoping review, published in BMJ Open.

Our findings will also inform the CIHR-funded Cultural Adaptations Methods Working Group (led by Drs. Sarah Elliot, Lisa Hartling and Shannon Scott at the University of Alberta).

POPCORN brings together researchers, clinicians, decision-makers, and patient partners to form a pan-Canadian pediatric research network and answer important questions in child health.

We are proud to be part of POPCORN and lead its knowledge mobilization (KM) pillar. The KM pillar works in collaboration with the patient engagement team, knowledge users (e.g. Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)), project leads, and coordinating centre (Maternal Infant Child and Youth Research Network (MICYRN)) to establish a network that can respond rapidly to health emergencies and pandemics. We are developing a communications plan to connect researchers and knowledge users (patient partners and decision-makers) to identify research priorities, establish research questions, interpret results, and share study findings.

While created in response to COVID-19, the platform will provide the infrastructure to prepare for future pandemics. For more information, please contact POPCORN

This study, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, brings together world-leading child health researchers, parents, and emergency healthcare providers to share the latest information and wider impacts of COVID-19.

Qualitative and survey methods are being used to learn more about the information needs and preferences of emergency healthcare providers. Through this study we have updated six resources (Bronchiolitis, Croup, Diabetic Ketoacidosis, Asthma, Aerosol

Generating Medical Procedure, and COVID-19) and are developing four new resources (Respiratory Distress, Pneumonia, Eating Disorders and Anxiety Disorders).

A selection of the updated and new resources are being tested through online surveys and interviews to gain insight into how healthcare providers are using them.

Parents and youth have also provided invaluable insight into what is important for healthcare providers to communicate when treating children and youth.

We want to help emergency healthcare providers feel better prepared to give the best possible care to children. Study results will be available over the coming year.

Dr. Aregbesola (University of Manitoba) is leading a study team that is working with emergency departments to assess and improve their level of pediatric readiness, which will include improving access to TREKK tools and resources. A 17-site Randomized Controlled Trial has commenced in Manitoba.

Learn more about the study here.