Building Pediatric Readiness Across a Health System: Evaluation of a Pediatric Emergency Department Affiliation Program.

Authors

Melony Murray

Published in

Journal of emergency nursing. Sep 21, 2026. Epub Sep 21, 2026.

Abstract

Pediatric readiness in emergency departments is associated with improved patient outcomes; however, variability in preparedness persists across health care settings. This quality improvement project evaluated baseline pediatric readiness across a network of affiliated emergency departments and assessed the impact of a systemwide Pediatric Emergency Department Affiliation Program.
A pre-post design compared National Pediatric Readness Project (NPRP) assessment scores collected during site onboarding (2021-2023) with scores from the 2026 national assessment. To promote consistency, baseline and follow-up assessments were each completed by a single program coordinator. Interventions included implementation of Pediatric Emergency Care Champions (PECCs), standardized clinical pathways, simulation-based education, and ongoing quality improvement and operational support. Twenty-five emergency departments were included. A paired-samples t test was used to compare scores.
Baseline NPRP scores averaged 66.3 (SD = 6.63) and varied across sites. At follow-up, all participating emergency departments achieved an NPRP score of 100, indicating full alignment with national pediatric readiness standards. Mean scores increased by 33.7 points. The improvement was statistically significant, t(24) = 25.41, p < .001. Gains were observed across all NPRP domains, with the largest improvements in Coordination of Care and Equipment and Supplies.
A structured, systemwide affiliation program was associated with substantial improvements in pediatric readiness across diverse emergency care settings. Programs that incorporate pediatric leadership, standardized pathways, simulation-based education, and continuous quality improvement support may strengthen emergency nurses' preparedness and promote consistent, high-quality pediatric emergency care.

PMID:
42765924
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 21 Sep 2026.

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