Qualitative data collection
JJ, PIS
RECRUITMENT
A senior ethnographer (JJ), who was not involved in the clinical trial, visited participating sites to undertake face-to-face individual and focus group interviews. All clinical staff involved in delivering the intervention were eligible for interviews. Recruitment entailed an initial email from the researcher comprising an introduction, with attached Participant Information Sheet (PIS). The email was distributed to all eligible staff ahead of site visits. From amongst the staff working on the days of site visits, a range of clinicians and grades were purposively selected for interview. Prior to the interview, participants were given an opportunity to read the PIS again and ask questions. Once satisfied that informed consent had been completed, participants were asked to sign a Consent Form.No prior relationship between JJ and participating staff existed, and all were made aware of her impartiality and need to gain candid insight into their experiences of trial delivery. Guided by a semi-structured interview schedule, discussions explored participant understanding and experience in relation to the five areas theorised as underpinning intervention effectiveness: training; flexibility; proactivity; consistent weaning and sedation care and management; and MDT working. The interview guide was developed by JJ and the Chief Investigator (BB). It was piloted with another author (LMcI), who is a paediatric intensive care nurse. Interviews were undertaken in a quiet location close to the paediatric ICU, lasting between 30–90 minutes. They were audio-recorded and fully transcribed, with anonymisation. Only JJ had access to information that could identify individual participants during and after data collection.