Integration of Pediatric Components Into EMS Systems
| Medical oversight |
| Ensure pediatric representation in EMS planning, operations, and oversight as outlined in the NAEMSP position statement “Physician Oversight of Pediatric Care in EMS” |
| Provide direct and indirect medical oversight that integrates pediatric-specific elements into the global EMS system |
| Operations |
| Include pediatric-specific guidance and expertise in the development and improvement of EMS operations |
| Have pediatric-specific equipment and supplies available and ensure that prehospital providers are competent in their use |
| Develop processes for evaluating pediatric-specific psychomotor and cognitive competencies of prehospital providers |
| Have policies that ensure the safe transport of children and families in emergency vehicles |
| Collaborate with outpatient and hospital-based pediatric experts, especially those in EDs |
| Facilitate destination determination of patients by weighing the risks and benefits of transport to a higher level of care |
| Collaborate with local EDs to promote basic pediatric readiness of all facilities |
| Include considerations for care of children and families in emergency preparedness planning and exercises, including family repatriation, in time of disasters |
| Provide situational awareness to caregivers by encouraging providers to designate a person to narrate and preempt actions to the bystander on the scene, using lay terms to communicate with patients and families, and allowing bystanders to maintain a line of sight with the child as long as they are not interfering with patient care |
| Education |
| Ensure that prehospital providers receive periodic pediatric-specific education |
| Ensure pediatric assessment and recognition of respiratory distress or failure, cardiac failure, and shock |
| Competency in neonatal and pediatric resuscitation |
| Ensure updated psychomotor skills and practice in pediatric airway management (focusing on basic airway management) and venous and intraosseous placement and access |
| Provide education tools to improve proper pain and wt assessment and pain management |
| Research, data management, and QI |
| Implement practices to reduce pediatric medication errors |
| Include pediatric-specific measures in QI and quality assurance processes |
| Submit data to a statewide database that is compliant with the most recent version of the NEMSIS and work with local hospitals to track pediatric patient-centered outcomes across the continuum of care |
Adapted from National Association of Emergency Medical Services Physicians. Physician oversight of pediatric care in emergency medical services. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2017;21(1):88 and Ayub EM, Sampayo EM, Shah MI, Doughty CB. Prehospital providers’ perceptions on providing patient and family centered care. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2017;21(2):233–241.