Assessment of Barriers and Enablers to Implementation of a Pediatric Early Warning System in Resource-Limited Settings

Abstract

Importance: Pediatric early warning systems (PEWS) aid with early identification of clinical deterioration and improve outcomes in children with cancer hospitalized in resource-limited settings; however, there may be barriers to implementation.

Objective: To evaluate stakeholder-reported barriers and enablers to PEWS implementation in resource-limited hospitals.

Design, setting, and participants: In this qualitative study, semistructured stakeholder interviews were conducted at 5 resource-limited pediatric oncology centers in 4 countries in Latin America. Hospitals participating in a multicenter collaborative to implement PEWS were purposefully sampled based on time required for implementation (fast vs slow), and stakeholders interviewed included physicians, nurses, and administrators, involved in PEWS implementation. An interview guide was developed using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Interviews were conducted virtually in Spanish, audiorecorded, and professionally transcribed and translated into English. A codebook was developed a priori using the CFIR and supplemented with codes inductively derived from transcript review. Two coders independently analyzed all transcripts, achieving a κ of 0.8 to 0.9. The study was conducted from June 1 to August 31, 2020.

Main outcomes and measures: Thematic analysis was conducted based on CFIR domains (inner setting, characteristics of individuals, outer setting, intervention characteristics, and implementation process) to identify barriers and enablers to PEWS implementation.

Results: Seventy-one staff involved in PEWS implementation were interviewed, including 32 physicians (45%), 32 nurses (45%), and 7 administrators (10%). Of these, 50 were women (70%). Components of the 5 CFIR domains were mentioned by participants as barriers and enablers to PEWS implementation at both fast- and slow-implementing centers. Participants emphasized barriers at the level of the clinical staff, hospital, external factors, and PEWS intervention. These barriers included staff resistance to change, inadequate resources, components of health systems, and the perceived origin and complexity of PEWS. At all centers, most barriers were successfully converted to enablers during the implementation process through targeted strategies, such as early stakeholder engagement and adaptation, including adapting PEWS to better fit the local context and changing the hospital setting to support ongoing use of PEWS.

Conclusions and relevance: To date, this is the first multicenter, multinational study describing barriers and enablers to PEWS implementation in resource-limited settings. Findings suggest that many barriers are not immutable and can be converted to enablers during the implementation process. This work can serve as a guide for clinicians looking to implement evidence-based interventions to reduce global disparities in patient outcomes.

Figure.. Modified Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) Describing Identified Themes

Through the pediatric early warning systems (PEWS) implementation process, centers were able to overcome identified barriers and adapt both the PEWS tool and algorithm as well as their hospital context to support ongoing PEWS use. EVAT indicates Escala de Valoración de Alerta Temprana.