Improving safety during tracheal intubations for critically ill children in the ICU

Smart checklist implementation for pediatric tracheal intubations in the ICU- multicenter study: SMART PICU

NIH-funded research Children's Hosp of Philadelphia · NIH-10909270

This study is testing a helpful digital checklist to make tracheal intubations safer for critically ill children in pediatric ICUs, so medical teams can better manage each child's unique needs and reduce the chances of complications during the procedure.

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-10909270 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on enhancing the safety of tracheal intubations (TIs) in critically ill children by implementing a digital Smart Checklist in pediatric ICUs. The checklist is designed to assist medical teams by providing prompts based on individual patient characteristics and displaying critical airway information directly from electronic health records. By addressing the high risk of adverse airway outcomes during TIs, this project aims to improve team performance and ultimately reduce complications associated with these procedures. The study will involve multiple pediatric ICUs to ensure a broad application of the findings.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are critically ill children in the ICU who require tracheal intubation.

Not a fit: Patients who are not critically ill or do not require tracheal intubation may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce complications and improve outcomes for critically ill children undergoing tracheal intubation.

How similar studies have performed: Previous initiatives have shown promise in improving safety during tracheal intubations in pediatric settings, indicating that this approach could lead to meaningful advancements.

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 2026-06-15 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.