title: Confessions of PCICU Leaders: Tales From the Past, Lessons for the Future.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pediatric cardiac intensive care environment is challenging and unpredictable due to the heterogeneous patient population. Leadership within this complex environment is critical for optimal outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 10th International Meeting of the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society provided a forum for leaders to share their own practice and experience that concluded with take-home messages regarding quality, safety, clinical effectiveness, stewardship, and leadership.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Presentations defined vital aspects for successful outcomes and highlighted ongoing challenges.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Accomplishing exceptional outcomes requires a blend of clinical expertise, leadership, communication skills with briefing and debriefing, meaningful use of data, and transparency among peers and toward patients and their families.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Colorado Heart Institute, University of Colorado Denver, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA eduardo.dacruz@childrenscolorado.org.
authors.forename: Eduardo M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: da Cruz
authors.affiliation: University of California San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital, UCSF School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tabbutt
authors.affiliation: Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Mary C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Eisenhaur
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins All Children's Heart Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Saint Petersburg, Tampa, and Orlando, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.affiliation: The Children's Heart Program of South Carolina, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.affiliation: Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Liz C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: The Heart Center at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simsic
authors.affiliation: The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Laussen
mesh_terms: D002300:Cardiac Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002648:Child; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003226:Congresses as Topic; D006801:Humans; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007857:Leadership; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000592:standards*; D024382:Professional Role; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*
keywords: accountability; congenital heart disease; congenital heart surgery; data; effectiveness; families; intensive care; interdisciplinary; leadership; patients; quality; safety; stewardship; team; transparency; trust