Longitudinal Evaluation Use of a Multi-Modal Toolkit to Support Prehospital Pediatric Readiness
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Abstract
Objective: The National Prehospital Pediatric Readiness Project (PPRP) supports emergency medical services (EMS) efforts to deliver high-quality care to acutely ill and injured children through dissemination of best practices. Toolkits are essential for implementing new initiatives for system improvement. Central to this effort is a toolkit developed by the PPRP to guide EMS agencies in pediatric readiness improvements. The perceived utility of the PPRP Toolkit by end-users is unknown. This study aimed to evaluate end-user analytics and satisfaction with this Toolkit to inform future enhancements.
Methods: We present a descriptive case study examining the development, dissemination, and evaluation of the Toolkit. Website analytics from April 2021 to June 2023 were reviewed to assess engagement, including total page views and time spent per page. We conducted a snowball sampling frame to recruit pediatric emergency care coordinators and EMS educators to complete a structured survey evaluating the Toolkit. Respondents rated the usefulness and ease of resource navigation using a 5-point Likert scale.Results: The Toolkit generated 193,500 pages, with users spending an average of 11 minutes per page. The most frequently accessed domains were Education and Competencies, Equipment and Supplies, and Policies, Procedures, and Protocols. The median score for both ease of access and resource usefulness was 4/5. Quality Improvement/Process Improvement received the lowest median score (ease: 2, helpfulness: 3) and Interactions with Systems of Care were the highest (ease: 5, helpfulness: 5).
Conclusion: The Toolkit is a well-utilized and valued resource for enhancing pediatric readiness in EMS systems. While overall feedback was positive, lower ratings for the QI/PI category suggest opportunities for targeted improvement. Continued refinement, guided by end-user feedback and usage patterns, will be critical to ensure the Toolkit remains effective, relevant, and responsive to the evolving needs of prehospital pediatric readiness.
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