Improving safety for children needing breathing tubes 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-11105847

This project aims to make placing breathing tubes safer for critically ill children in the ICU by using a new digital smart checklist.

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-11105847 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

When critically ill children in the ICU need a breathing tube, it can be a risky procedure due to their fragile health. Our team has learned that these children are at high risk for complications, which can lead to longer hospital stays and worse outcomes. While existing checklists have helped, there's still a need for better safety. This project will introduce a new digital smart checklist that provides real-time guidance, patient-specific prompts, and warnings to help medical teams perform this procedure more safely.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This work is relevant to critically ill children in the ICU who require a breathing tube.

Not a fit: Children who are not critically ill or do not require a breathing tube would not directly benefit from this specific safety improvement.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this project could significantly reduce complications and improve safety for critically ill children who need breathing tubes in the ICU.

How similar studies have performed: Previous work with a basic bedside checklist has shown some success in reducing complications, but this new digital approach aims for substantial further improvement.

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 2026-06-13 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.