Improving patient-centred care in the emergency department: Implementation of a Sensory Toolkit for children with autism.

ABSTRACT: Emergency department (ED) visits for children with autism can present challenges due to the unique sensory needs of this population. This Quality Improvement (QI) project executed two Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to create and implement a Sensory Toolkit in the ED for children with autism. Most caregivers (94%; n = 31/33) and healthcare providers (HCPs; 86%; n = 37/44) identified the need for sensory items in the ED. In PDSA Cycle 1, 100% of caregivers (n = 21) and HCPs (n = 3) agreed/strongly agreed that the ED Sensory Toolkit was helpful. In PDSA Cycle 2, 92% of caregivers (n = 12/13) and 100% of HCPs (n = 3) agreed/strongly agreed that they were helpful. The Sensory Toolkit was positively evaluated by caregivers of children with autism and HCPs during the child's visit to the ED. The

SUBMITTER: Roy MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11261820 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature