Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41611453›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2026

Insights into clinician utilisation and perceptions of the Paediatric Improvement Collaborative Clinical Practice Guidelines: a mixed-methods study.

Louise A Ellis, Janet C Long, Phillipa Brook, Mike Starr, Peter D Hibbert, Maree Saba, Kate Churruca, Kate Harding, Gaston Arnolda, Yvonne Zurynski and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Louise A EllisMacquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia louise.ellis@mq.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6902-4578
Janet C LongMacquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0553-682X
Phillipa BrookWestern Health, Footscray, Victoria, Australia.
Mike StarrThe Royal Children's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Peter D HibbertMacquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7865-343X
Maree SabaMacquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Kate ChurrucaMacquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9923-3116
Kate HardingThe Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Gaston ArnoldaMacquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4948-7633
Yvonne ZurynskiMacquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7744-8717
Jeffrey BraithwaiteMacquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0296-4957

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThis study aimed to explore perceptions of the Paediatric Improvement Collaborative's (PIC's) Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) among clinicians, with a focus on awareness, frequency of use, applicability and areas for improvement. DESIGN,

settingCross-sectional online survey and semi-structured interviews.

participantsClinicians working in all Australian states and territories. Recruitment was via non-probability convenience sampling. Invitations to participate in the online survey were posted on national- and state-level paediatric organisations, networks and groups. Survey participants could express interest in taking part in a follow-up online interview.

resultsA total of 466 clinicians, including consultants/specialists (46.1%), specialists in training (residents/registrars: 20.4%), nurses (17.8%), allied health professionals (4.7%) and general practitioners (3.6%) participated in the survey. Findings indicated a high level of usage, with two-thirds of participants (63.9%) using the guidelines weekly. Most participants (91.8%) deemed the CPGs highly applicable to their practice settings, and over half (57.9%) had referred to more than 10 different PIC CPGs in the past month. Patterns of use reflected experience, seniority and scope of practice, with utilisation significantly higher among specialists in training, those working in emergency settings and those with less practising experience. Ten clinicians were interviewed to gain deeper insights, reinforcing that PIC CPGs serve multiple purposes, such as to check practice and for self-learning, for teaching more junior staff, and to reinforce treatment decisions with parents and patients. The guidelines were noted as being useful for all members of the multidisciplinary team in providing consistent language and uniform care. Key areas for improvement included enhancing accessibility in time-pressured environments, such as incorporating human factors-based navigation features and standardised layouts, and integrating additional tools and localised referral information.

conclusionsPIC CPGs are viewed as a source of credible, evidence-based information that was valued across medical, nursing and allied health professionals.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelGuideline AdherencePediatricsPractice Guidelines as TopicQuality ImprovementAdultAustraliaCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleSurveys and QuestionnairesACCIDENT & EMERGENCY MEDICINEClinical ProtocolsPAEDIATRICS

Identifiers

PMID41611453
PMCPMC12863363

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.