Addressing the New Pediatric Readiness Standards at Your Trauma Center-Handout: Addressing the New Pediatric Readiness Standards at Your Trauma Center

Handout: Addressing the New Pediatric Readiness Standards at Your Trauma Center

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The Trauma Center Association of America (TCAA) recently conducted a webinar addressing the new pediatric readiness standards for trauma centers. The webinar aimed to provide information on how to assess and address pediatric readiness in emergency departments (EDs). The TCAA, accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), provided CME credits for participants.<br /><br />The pediatric readiness standards are defined as the infrastructure, administration and coordination of care, personnel, policies, equipment, and resources required to provide adequate care to injured children. A national assessment called the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment was conducted to determine the baseline and progress of pediatric readiness in EDs across the country. The assessment provided EDs with a pediatric readiness score and an ED Gap Report to identify areas for improvement.<br /><br />It was found that increased pediatric readiness scores were associated with decreased mortality in critically ill and injured children. The presence of a Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinator (PECC) in EDs was strongly correlated with enhanced pediatric readiness. The role of a PECC involves ensuring adherence to national recommendations for pediatric emergency care, promoting quality improvement efforts, and managing pediatric equipment and supplies. The collaboration between the Trauma Program Manager (TPM) and the PECC was emphasized to improve pediatric readiness in EDs.<br /><br />The webinar provided guidance on how EDs can improve pediatric readiness by surveying staff, identifying educational needs, reviewing difficult cases, and conducting quality improvement projects. Additionally, resources available on the Emergency Medical Services for Children Innovation and Improvement Center (EIIC) and Peds Ready websites were shared. The TCAA encouraged trauma programs to collaborate with EDs to improve the care of all children.<br /><br />Overall, the webinar emphasized the importance of pediatric readiness in trauma centers and the role of the PECC in achieving this goal. The TCAA provided resources and guidelines to assist EDs in assessing and addressing pediatric readiness deficiencies.

Keywords

Trauma Center Association of America

webinar

pediatric readiness standards

emergency departments

CME credits

National Pediatric Readiness Assessment

Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinator

collaboration

quality improvement projects

deficiencies