Children’s Mercy Kansas City’s Patient Care Services Research (PCSR) awarded five grants to employees in 2024, totaling just over $9,000. Each grant covers a project period of July 1, 2024-June 30, 2026.

Lenore Fleming, Child Life, received $1,400 for her project, “Effectiveness of Vibration on Pain Control and Anxiety during Pediatric Burn Treatments.”

Jeanette Higgins, RN, MSN, CPNP, Gynecology, received $2,320 for her project, “Improving Patient Experience with IUD insertions- (Sedated IUDs).”

Emma Sexton, LMSW, MPH, Social Work, received $1,500 for her project, “Improvements to Consumer Satisfaction Tool for Home-Based Program Supporting Families Affected by Substance Use,” also known as the “TIES Satisfaction Tool.”

Brooke Smith, MHA, RRT-NPS, Respiratory Care, received $1,000 for her project, “Evolving Use of NAVA as a Mode of Ventilation in Severe BPD.”

Andrea Thorne, PT, Physical and Occupational Therapy, received $3,162 for her project, “Usability Surveys of Ocurate with the Use of Clinicians and Athletic Trainers.”

Lenore’s project investigates the use of a vibration device known as Buzzy during pediatric burn treatments. Specifically, she and her team examine if Buzzy reduces the pain perception of children receiving burn treatments. This is a single site, randomized clinical study using a pre and post survey design of children who have a burn treatment at Children’s Mercy.

“Our primary aim is to learn more about vibration as a method of pain control and anxiety reduction during potentially painful burn procedures,” explains Lenore. “Our secondary aim is to measure participants’ feelings towards acceptability and likelihood of Buzzy use in the future.”

The study hypothesizes that children who use Buzzy during burn treatments will report lower pain and anxiety scores than those who do not use Buzzy.

Barbra Rudder, MA, CCLS, Child Life, is a research mentor and Carisa Parrish, PhD, Developmental & Behavioral Health, is a co-investigator on the project.

Jeanette’s project investigates anxiolysis, a type of sedation where the person is very relaxed but awake, and/or sedation for pain control during the placement of intrauterine devices (IUDs) in adolescents.

The primary aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of the visual aids (still photos and short videos) in increasing patient and family understanding of available options for anxiolysis and/or pain control during insertion of a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (IUD). The secondary aim of this study is to assess patient satisfaction during and following procedural (IUD insertion) anxiolysis and/or pain control. The overall goal is to avoid harmful complications associated with this medical care.

“Conducting research on sedation for IUD placement in adolescents is vital for addressing gaps in current clinical practice, improving patient outcomes, and advancing public health goals related to adolescent reproductive health,” said Jeanette.

Co-investigators include Tazim Dowlut-McElroy, MD, MS, Gynecology; Barbra Rudder, MA, CCLS, Child Life; and Patty Davis MSW, LSCSW, LCSW, Social Work.

Emma’s project investigates the impact of gratitude bias and anchoring bias on participants' responses in the TIES Consumer Satisfaction Survey (CSS) within the Team for Infants Exposed to Substance use (TIES) Program at Children’s Mercy.

The TIES Program is an intensive home-based partnership with pregnant and postpartum women and their families affected by maternal substance use. The program provides social work and parent educator specialists who partner with families to create a mutually designed plan that is both individualized and comprehensive and builds on family strengths to meet family’s identified goals. Staff provide direct services (e.g. counseling, crisis intervention, transportation, support for substance use treatment, connection to health care) and help coordinate the services of other community agencies (e.g. substance use treatment, child welfare, criminal justice) as well.

The study will involve two phases using qualitative methodologies to analyze historical CSS data and conduct semi-structured interviews with former participants. By exploring how biases influence survey responses and comparing participant expectations with their experiences, the research plans to enhance the CSS tool's ability to capture genuine feedback.

“The long-term objective for this research plan is to ensure that TIES participants’ actual thoughts, beliefs, and feelings about their experience in the TIES Program are being captured in a meaningful way,” said Emma.

This research plan aims to provide valuable insights into improving participant feedback mechanisms in healthcare programs like TIES.

Co-investigators include Melissa Vaughns-Guein, LCSW, LSCSW, and Emily Siedlik, MPH, Social Work.

Brooke’s project explores a mechanical ventilation strategy for premature infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD). BPD is a debilitating form of chronic lung disease and those with severe BPD are particularly at elevated risk of long-term morbidity and mortality.

The primary objective of this study is to report Children’s Mercy’s experience on the successful use of Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist (NAVA) ventilation in infants with severe BPD and publish data comparing the use of this mode versus other modes of ventilation used in this population.

Brooke and her team hypothesize that the use of invasive NAVA is not inferior when compared to the application of other conventional modes of ventilation in patients with established severe BPD. To test this hypothesis, they will collect, and report short and intermediate-term outcomes of infants managed with NAVA ventilation versus other modes of ventilation over the last five years in the Children’s Mercy Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

“Due to no current literature published on NAVA with BPD patients, the hope is this study will show the feasibility of NAVA in this patient population through our experience within our NICU,” said Brooke.

Venkatesh Sampath, MD, Neonatology, will act as a research mentor. Co-investigators include Karishma Rao, MD, Winston Manimtim, MD, FAAP, and Gangaram Akangire, MD, Neonatology, as well as Robyn McCracken, RRT, NPS, Respiratory Care.

Andrea’s project evaluates a tool that she invented called Ocurate that can be used at the time of a suspected concussion.

Ocurate is a compact tool for assessing eye tracking measures that can be used at the time of a suspected concussion, or other potential oculomotor injuries, to assist clinicians, physical therapists, and athletic trainers as to whether or not further diagnostic testing is warranted.

During this study, participants will complete a series of simple tasks using the Ocurate, while a facilitator and observer watches, listens, and takes notes. Participants will also be asked to complete a survey regarding their thoughts on the use of Ocurate once they have been able to manipulate the tool in their clinical settings. The goals of these tests are to identify the ease-of-use, any usability issues, and participants’ satisfaction with the tool to improve its design

“The knowledge gained during usability testing and surveys will allow the research team to understand whether the Ocurate is ready for the next step in the innovation process, or whether additional improvements are needed,” said Andrea.

Co-investigators include Sathya Vadivelu, DO, Rehabilitation Medicine, Maria Korth, PhD, Developmental and Behavioral Health, Trever Gerson, MD, Neurology, Lori Erickson, PhD, Remote Health Solutions, and Jennifer Marshall, MPH, Strategy, Innovation and Partnerships.