Ready for Our Children? Results From a Survey of Upstate New York Hospitals' Utilization of Pediatric Emergency Preparedness Toolkit Guidance

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen A. Clancy ◽  
Marilyn A. Kacica

ABSTRACTObjective: This project evaluated New York (NY) hospitals outside of New York City (upstate) for their awareness and utilization of the NY State Department of Health Pediatric and Obstetric Emergency Preparedness Toolkit (toolkit) and presence of pediatric emergency preparedness planning elements.Methods: A survey assessing toolkit awareness and utilization was distributed to all 145 upstate NY hospitals. Quantitative survey data were analyzed using summary statistics, χ2 analysis, and odds ratios (OR) in aggregate, by hospital size, and by presence of pediatric medicine/surgery, pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), and/or neonatal ICU (NICU) beds (pediatric beds).Results: Of the 145 hospitals, 116 (80%) completed the survey; 86% of these had reviewed the toolkit. Most had staff clinicians with pediatric expertise, but fewer had appointed pediatric clinical (physician or nurse) coordinators. Hospitals with at least one pediatric bed were more than 2.5 times more likely to have an emergency management plan (EMP) for pediatric patients (P =. 0223) and nearly 8 times more likely to have appointed a pediatric physician coordinator (P <. 0001) than were hospitals without pediatric beds. Appointment of a pediatric clinical coordinator was significantly associated (P <. 001) with presence of various pediatric emergency plan elements (OR range: 3.06-15.13), while staff pediatric clinical expertise or toolkit review were not.Conclusions: Appointment of at least one pediatric clinical coordinator and the presence of one or more pediatric beds were significantly associated with having developed key EMP pediatric elements. Further research should examine barriers to pediatric clinical coordinator appointment and explore the awareness that pediatric patients may arrive at nonpediatric hospitals during a disaster with no option for transfer.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2012;6:138–145)

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s132-s132
Author(s):  
G. Foltin ◽  
A. Flamm ◽  
A. Cooper ◽  
M. Sagy ◽  
B.M. Greenwald ◽  
...  

PurposeThere remains a lack of comprehensive pediatric emergency preparedness planning worldwide. A disaster or mass-casualty incident (MCI) involving pediatric patients could overwhelm existing pediatric resources within the New York City (NYC) metropolitan region. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) recognizing the importance to plan for a MCI with a large number of pediatric victims, implemented a project (the Pediatric Disaster Coalition; PDC), to address gaps in the healthcare system to provide effective and timely pediatric care during a MCI.MethodsThe PDC includes experts in emergency preparedness, critical care, surgery, and emergency medicine from the NYC pediatric/children's hospitals, DOHMH, Office of Emergency Management, and Fire Department (FDNY). Two committees addressed pediatric prehospital triage, transport, and pediatric critical care (PCC) surge capacities. They developed guidelines and recommendations for pediatric field triage and transport, matching patients' needs to resources, and increasing PCC Surge Capacities.ResultsSurge recommendations were formulated. The algorithm developed provides specific pediatric triage criteria that identify severity of illness using the traditional Red, Yellow, and Green categories plus an Orange designation for continual reassessments that has been adopted by FDNY that has trained > 3,000 FDNY EMS personnel in its use. Triaged patients can be transported to appropriate resources based on a tiered system that defines pediatric hospital capabilities. The Surge Committee has created PCC Surge Capacity Guideline that can be used by hospitals to create their individual PCC surge plans. 15 of 25 NYC hospitals with PCC capabilities are participating with PDC planning; 5 have completed surge plans, 3 are nea completion, and 7 are in development. The completed plans add 92 surge beds to 244 regularly available PICU beds. The goal is to increase the PCC surge bed capacity by 200 + beds.ConclusionsThe project is an effective, multidisciplinary group approach to planning for a regional, large-scale pediatric MCI. Regional lead agencies must emphasize pediatric emergency preparedness in their disaster plans.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 144-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Chandramohan ◽  
AP Anu ◽  
V Vaigaiarasi ◽  
K Dharmalingam

The 26 December 2004 Tsunami generated by the submarine earthquake in Andaman Sea with the magnitude of 9.2 Richter scale triggered the worst destruction, widespread inundation and extensive damage in terms of life and property along the Tamil Nadu coast and Andaman Nicobar Group of Islands. The shoreline features like dunes, vegetation and steepness of beaches played vital role in attenuating the impact of Tsunami from destruction. While the low-level Marina beach experienced minimum inundation, the coast between Adyar and Cooum was inundated heavily. As the present generation of India was not aware of Tsunami, the emergency plan and preparedness were zero and so the loss of human life was huge. In this article, the authors describe the Tsunami occurred in India on 26 December 2004 and its impacts on morphology. The appropriate Emergency Preparedness plan and the Disaster Management Plan in case of reoccurrence of such natural disaster are discussed.


Hadmérnök ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 352-370
Author(s):  
Zsolt Zólyomi

The security professionals are always talking about Emergency Plan, Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Response, Crisis Management, Crisis Management Plan, Business Continuity Management, Business Continuity Plan. etc. That is a question whichcomes to my mind do we know exactly what these phrases meanings are? My experiences show, usually we have different interpretations on the above mentioned expressions. Briefly we need to have an Emergency Plan to provide our Emergency Preparedness and to be able to take our Emergency Responses in case of a real Emergency situation. If we were able to eliminate the Emergency situation the problemhas been solved. If we had no success the Emergency can be develop a crisis situation which we need to manage by the Crisis Management Plan. As we are over the crisis we need to adopt our Business Continuity Plan to be able to manage our continuous operationor production. The aim of this study to providea useful tool or set up for security leaders on Crisis Management which is a clear security task and not as like Emergency Preparedness which is related to safety organization as Business Continuity is connected to each business functions.


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s102-s102
Author(s):  
E. Conway ◽  
A. Flamm ◽  
G. Foltin ◽  
A. Cooper ◽  
B.M. Greenwald ◽  
...  

IntroductionChildren frequently are the victims of disasters due to natural hazards or terrorist attacks. However, there is a lack of specific pediatric emergency preparedness planning worldwide. To address these gaps, the federal grant-funded New York City Pediatric Disaster Coalition (PDC) established guidelines for creating Pediatric Critical care (PCC) surge plans and assisted hospitals in creating their plans. To date, five hospitals completed plans, thereby adding 92 beds to surge capacity. On 01 May 2010, 18:00h, there was an attempt to detonate a car bomb in Times Square, a large urban attraction in the heart of New York City. The perpetrator was later convicted of the attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction. Had the bomb exploded, given the location and time of day, it is possible that many critically injured victims would have been children.MethodsThe unit director or a senior attending of nine major hospitals in the NYC area (five in close proximity and four at secondary sites) were surveyed for the number of their vacant pediatric critical care beds at the time of the event before activation of surge plans.ResultsAt the time the car bomb was discovered, the nine hospitals, which have a total of 141 PCC beds, had only 29 vacant approved pediatric critical care beds.ConclusionsHad the event resulted in many pediatric casualties, the existing PCC vacant beds at these hospitals may not have satisfied the need. Activating surge plans at five of these hospitals would have added 92 to the 29 available PCC beds for a total of 121. In order to provide PCC to a large number of victims, it is crucial that hospitals prepare PCC surge plans.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 2333794X2199034
Author(s):  
Phatthranit Phattharapornjaroen ◽  
Yuwares Sittichanbuncha ◽  
Pongsakorn Atiksawedparit ◽  
Kittisak Sawanyawisuth

Pediatric emergency patients are vulnerable population and require special care or interventions. Nevertheless, there is limited data on the prevalence and risk factors for life-saving interventions. This study is a retrospective analytical study. The inclusion criteria were children aged 15 years or under who were triaged as level 1 or 2 and treated at the resuscitation room. Factors associated with LSI were executed by logistic regression analysis. During the study period, there were 22 759 ER visits by 14 066 pediatric patients. Of those, 346 patients (2.46%) met the study criteria. Triage level 1 accounted for 16.18% (56 patients) with 29 patients (8.38%) with LSI. Trauma was an independent factor for LSI with adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) of 4.37 (1.49, 12.76). In conclusion, approximately 8.38% of these patients required LSI. Trauma cause was an independent predictor for LSI.


2021 ◽  
Vol 60 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 247-251
Author(s):  
Ameer Hassoun ◽  
Nessy Dahan ◽  
Christopher Kelly

The emergence of novel coronavirus disease-2019 poses an unprecedented challenge to pediatricians. While the majority of children experience mild disease, initial case reports on young infants are conflicting. We present a case series of 8 hospitalized infants 60 days of age or younger with coronavirus disease-2019. A quarter of these patients had coinfections (viral or bacterial). None of these infants had severe disease. Continued vigilance in testing this vulnerable group of infants is warranted.


2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 216-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordon Lee Gillespie ◽  
Melanie Hounchell ◽  
Jeanne Pettinichi ◽  
Jennifer Mattei ◽  
Lindsay Rose

An environment committed to providing family-centered care to children must be aware of the nurse caring behaviors important to parents of children. This descriptive study assessed the psychometrics of a revised version of the Caring Behaviors Assessment (CBA) and examined nurse caring behaviors identified as important to the parents of pediatric patients in a pediatric emergency department. Jean Watson’s theory of human caring provided the study’s theoretical underpinnings. The instrument psychometrics was determined through an index of content validity (CVI) and internal consistency reliability. The instrument was determined to be valid (CVI = 3.75) and reliable (Cronbach’s alpha = .971). The revised instrument was completed by a stratified, systematic random sample of 300 parents of pediatric emergency patients. Participants rated the importance of each item for making the child feel cared for by nurses. Individual survey item means were computed. Items with the highest means represented the most important nurse caring behaviors. Leading nurse caring behaviors centered on carative factors of “human needs assistance” and “sensitivity to self and others.” Nearly all nurse caring behaviors were important to the parents of pediatric patients, although some behaviors were not priority. It is important for nurses to provide family-centered care in a way that demonstrates nurse caring.


2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 326-331
Author(s):  
Ashley McCallister ◽  
Tsz-Yin So ◽  
Josh Stewart

OBJECTIVE This study assessed the efficacy of injectable dexamethasone administered orally in pediatric patients who presented to the emergency department with asthma exacerbation. METHODS This was a retrospective study of patients 0 to 18 years of age who presented to and who were directly discharged from the emergency department at Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital between September 1, 2012, and September 30, 2015, for the diagnosis of asthma or asthma exacerbation. Patients had to receive a onetime dose of injectable dexamethasone orally prior to discharge. Patients were followed for a 30-day period to identify the number of asthma relapses. RESULTS Ninety-nine patients were included in this study. The average weight-based dose ± SD of dexamethasone was 0.35 ± 0.18 mg/kg (range, 0.08–0.62 mg/kg) and the actual dose ± SD was 10.58 ± 1.92 mg (range, 5–16 mg). Over a 30-day period, 6 patients (6%) had one repeated emergency department visit, 6 patients (6%) were admitted to the hospital, and 3 patients (3%) presented to an outpatient clinic for asthma-related symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Injectable dexamethasone administered orally may be an efficacious treatment for asthma exacerbation in pediatric patients. A randomized control trial comparing injectable dexamethasone administered orally to other dexamethasone formulations/routes of administration should be performed to adequately assess the bioequivalence and effectiveness of the former formulation.


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