Birmingham, Ala. (April 9, 2026) — The team in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Children’s of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham is being recognized for its work to reduce unplanned extubations and advance patient safety.
Last month, the team was named the 2026 recipient of the Patient Safety First Award from the Society of Critical Care Medicine. The award, presented at the Critical Care Congress in Chicago, is given annually to one intensive care unit or program nationwide.
Unplanned extubations or the accidental removal of a breathing tube are a serious and preventable safety event in critically ill patients. This can lead to complications such as respiratory distress, emergency reintubation, longer hospital stays and increased health care costs. To address this, the PICU team implemented a multidisciplinary, unit-wide approach to improve airway safety. This included standardizing care practices, strengthening communication among team members and increasing accountability across all roles involved in patient care. The team built on national guidelines from the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the Solutions for Patient Safety network. They also introduced additional targeted interventions, which led to a sustained reduction in unplanned extubation rates. As a result, the PICU team achieved outcomes that outperformed national benchmarks.
“The Patient Safety First Award celebrates what we can accomplish as a diverse critical care team caring for the sickest children in the state,” said Jeremy Loberger, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Critical Care. “The stakes are high in the PICU, but together we can provide the best care while maintaining a focus on continuous quality improvement and patient safety. While this award means a lot to us, improvement never stops and our eyes are on the horizon.”
Loberger added that the achievement reflects a true team effort, with collaboration across leadership, prescribers, educators, bedside nurses and respiratory therapists.
“This award was a culmination of a lot of hard work across the entire PICU team,” said Christy Thomas, critical care nurse and quality improvement respiratory therapist lead. “We had incredible support from leadership, prescribers and educators, along with strong participation and buy-in from bedside nurses and respiratory therapists. Without their continued commitment, none of this would be possible.”
Thomas says the exact number of patients impacted is not known, but the importance of prevention remains clear.
"We will never know the exact patient impact this has had, as it focuses on prevention,” Thomas explained. “What we do know is that unplanned extubations are directly associated with morbidity, mortality and increased health care costs among critically ill children. If we prevent even one, it is worth all of the time and hard work.”
The Patient Safety First Award recognizes innovative and effective initiatives that improve care for critically ill and injured patients. This recognition highlights the continued commitment of Children’s and the UAB Department of Pediatrics to deliver safe, high-quality care and to advance pediatric critical care practices.
