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December 2022 Update

ESCALATION System implementation in WA Country Health Service
Research Fellow Eileen Boyle has commenced working on a three year implementation science project to:
  • Strengthen and sustain implementation of the ESCALATION System in WA Country Health Service
  • Strengthen Aboriginal family involvement in recognising and responding to their child’s worsening condition in hospital
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Funding to support research program
​A/Professor Gill has been awarded funding through the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation Research People & Platform round for 2022.

The funding is to support the research program and acknowledges the importance of A/Professor Gill’s work towards Safer hospital care for children and the potential impact that advances in this area could have on the health of children, adolescents and young adults living in Western Australia.
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October 2022 Update

We are excited to announce Eileen Boyle has joined our research team. Eileen is an Implementation Science Research Fellow and will be commencing work in November.
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Eileen’s role will be to work with the research team focusing on 2 work streams:
1) Embed the ESCALATION System (paediatric early warning system) in WA Country Health Service and
2) Strengthen the family involvement component of the ESCALATION System to maximise the benefits for Aboriginal children and their families

Eileen is a registered nurse experienced in acute care and rural and remote nursing. She has broad research experience in clinical and community settings and is a PhD Candidate. Eileen is focused on supporting the improvement of health care through the implementation of health service initiatives that reflect the concerns and needs of the community and health professionals. ​

​The Implementation Science Fellowship Program is funded through the WA Government's Future Health Research and Innovation Fund (FHRIF). https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2022/05/Major-boost-to-support-research-aimed-at-improving-health-outcomes.aspx ​
June 2022 Update 

​ESCALATION System implementation update:
  • The ESCALATION System has now been implemented across all metropolitan hospitals.
  • An evaluation is underway at Fiona Stanley Hospital and Rockingham Hospital. In the focus groups with nurses and doctors we are receiving overwhelming positive feedback about the ESCALATION System.
  • WACHS hospitals will be commencing the ESCALATION System rollout in July.

Conferences and presentations:
In April 2022, A/Prof Fenella Gill presented at the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Meeting on the
ESCALATION research program and was awarded the best paediatric nursing paper. 

A/Professor Fenella Gill and Dr Pamela Laird (Raine Clinician Research Fellow) will be presenting for the Children’s Healthcare Australasia on the ‘First Nations perspectives on recognising and communicating concerns about their child’s clinical deterioration’.
Follow the link below to join this event on June 16th
Event Details – Children's Healthcare Australasia (wcha.asn.au)
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A/Professor Fenella Gill accepting award for Best Paediatric Nursing Paper
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A/Professor Fenella Gill poster presentation on the ESCALATION research program
 In other news:
Last month the WA Government announced a major boost to support research aimed at improving health outcomes (follow the link to read the announcement).
This announcement included funding for the Implementation Science Fellowship Program that will support the ‘Paediatric ESCALATION System’ research program to evaluate the scale up and implementation of the ESCALATION System at the WA Country Health Service and further research to strengthen the involvement of and improve benefits to Aboriginal children and their families.

​The Implementation Science Fellowship details:
 We are looking for an enthusiastic and passionate Implementation Science (IS) Research Fellow to join the research program. Under the guidance of an experienced team, over the next 3 years the fellow will use IS methods to:
1) embed the ESCALATION System (paediatric early warning system) in WA Country Health Service and
2) strengthen the family involvement component of the ESCALATION System to maximise the benefits for Aboriginal children and their families.
We also have a fulltime PhD scholarship available.
For more information, please contact Fenella Gill 0402881604 or [email protected]
PictureAlannah with Curtin University supervisors Professor Gavin Leslie and Dr Janie Brown.
April 2022 Update
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ESCALATION System Clinical Simulation Study ACTION
With the completion of the study 'ACTION: Optimising educAtion for the esCalation sysTem through clInical simulatiON' we are delighted to share our key findings and recommendations below:
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  • Using clinical simulation, we found the ESCALATION System education and training package was adequate to prepare health professionals with a variety of paediatric experience to use the ESCALATION System.
  • Minor refinements are recommended to support implementation fidelity.
  • Clinical simulation provides additional opportunity to practice using all components of the ESCALATION System.
  • The clinical scenarios further enhanced the education and training program and can be used to support implementation of the ESCALATION System state-wide. 
  • The state-wide ESCALATION System education and training package should be completed by all nurses and doctors who care for children.
  • Additional strategies are needed to support nurses to voice their concerns about sepsis and clinical deterioration.
  • State-wide scale up is feasible and, to be sustainable, the program should be integrated into routine education for health professionals.
 
In other news:
  • Implementation of the ESCALATION System state-wide continues, with rollout at Armadale Hospital in March. Fiona Stanley Hospital and Rockingham Hospital are commencing April and evaluations scheduled in May.
  • For information about the state-wide rollout contact:
  • [email protected]
  • In April A/Professor Fenella Gill is presenting about the implementation of the ESCALATION System at the Annual Scientific Meeting on Intensive Care in Sydney.
  • Congratulations to Dr Alannah Cooper on her PhD   graduation in February.
​PhD scholarship opportunity:
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The PhD scholarship is funded through Curtin University as a support package for a research grant entitled: Embedding the ESCALATION System in WA Country Health Service. 
The purpose of the scholarship is to provide a full-time PhD stipend to enable doctoral research that aligns with the grant aims: 
  • To use Implementation Science methods to 1) evaluate the scale up and sustain the implementation of the ESCALATION System (paediatric early warning system) in WA Country Health Service and 2) strengthen the family involvement component for Aboriginal families to maximise the benefits for Aboriginal children and their families.
 
The exact PhD topic is negotiable but must align with the above research grant. Preference will be given to those with an interest in acute paediatric and/or child health care, safety and quality, health systems research, early recognition of clinical deterioration, sepsis, co-design, Aboriginal child health outcomes, family involvement in hospital care.

Please contact Fenella Gill 0402881604 or [email protected] to further explore this opportunity.
For more information please visit the link Scholarship details | Curtin University, Perth, Australia
February 2022 Update
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ESCALATION System Clinical Simulation Study ACTION
Last month WA nurses and doctors participated in four clinical simulation days in the Perth Children’s Hospital simulation suite. The clinical simulations formed a component of the study ‘ACTION: Optimising educAtion for the ESCALATION SysTem through clInical simulatiON’.  
The study is funded by a 2021 Clinical Simulation and Training Advisory Network (CSTAN) grant and the WA Chief Nurse and Midwifery Office.

The aim of the clinical simulations was to assess if the ESCALATION System education and training program developed for Perth Children’s Hospital staff adequately prepares health professionals who work in other hospitals in WA. The results will inform the state-wide education and training program for the ESCALATION System to assist nurses and doctors to identify and care for children who are becoming more unwell in hospital.  There is a focus on involving the family and on sepsis recognition.

There were 14 participants who attended (11 Nurses, 3 Doctors) from Fiona Stanley Hospital, Rockingham Hospital, Bunbury Hospital and Perth Children’s Hospital.  Participants had completed the ESCALATION System education and training program prior to participating in the clinical simulations. They participated in up to four clinical scenarios using the ESCALATION System.
Thank you to David and Jon at the PCH Simulation suite who ran the clinical simulations so beautifully. 
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​Feedback from participants about the ESCALATION System has been extremely positive. We are currently analysing the data and look forward to sharing our key findings
​Participants from Bunbury Regional Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital with Fenella Gill
Participants in action with actor Megan in the role of a concerned Mum
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