Improving breathing during CPR for children

OPTImal VENTilation to Improve Pediatric Cardiac Arrest Outcomes

NIH-funded research Children's Hosp of Philadelphia · NIH-11261227

This project trains hospital teams to use cue cards and a metronome so providers give guided, faster breaths during pediatric CPR to try to help more children survive cardiac arrest.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionChildren's Hosp of Philadelphia NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Philadelphia, United States)
Project IDNIH-11261227 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If your child has a cardiac arrest in the hospital, this project teaches care teams to follow a specific breathing rate during CPR using education, CPR cue cards, and a ventilation metronome. The program, called OPTI-VENT, was already shown to train providers to reach target breaths per minute and will be rolled out in stages across hospitals. Researchers will compare outcomes before and after hospitals adopt the bundle to see whether the training improves survival and recovery. The trial uses a stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized design so hospitals switch to the intervention at different times and results reflect real-world practice.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Children (generally newborn through about age 11) who experience cardiac arrest and receive CPR at participating pediatric hospitals are the intended candidates.

Not a fit: Patients who have cardiac arrest outside participating hospitals, adults, or children with injuries too severe for recovery may not benefit from this intervention.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could increase survival and recovery after pediatric cardiac arrest by improving how breaths are given during CPR.

How similar studies have performed: Prior work showed the OPTI-VENT bundle reliably trains providers to hit the recommended ventilation rate, but whether that change improves clinical outcomes has not yet been proven.

Where this research is happening

Philadelphia, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.