Checklist

FAQs

• We are a rural service and/or lack resources available to more well-off/better funded agencies. What if we aren’t able to check all the boxes? The purpose of the Checklist is to help EMS agencies assess their status of pediatric readiness. There is not an expectation that every agency should be able to check all the boxes immediately, rather that agencies review where their resources are lacking, and use the Toolkit to help bolster their current status of readiness.
• Is our agency Pediatric Ready if we check a general checklist item, but our agency only has one or some of the bulleted examples outlined under the general checklist item (e.g., under Policies, Procedures, and Protocols, what if we have pediatric consideration in our prearrival instructions for respiratory distress and cardiac arrest, but not for the other bulleted items–choking, seizure, and altered level of consciousness)? Having one or some of the bulleted examples outlined under the general checklist item means that the EMS agency is working on pediatric readiness, but could incorporate additional components of pediatric readiness if the agency so chooses. The bulleted examples listed under each checklist item identify the many areas of pediatric readiness that can be addressed to improve the prehospital care that children receive.
• What specifics could be included in a destination policy that integrates pediatric-specific resources? Specifics could include consideration of regional resources and weighing of the risks and benefits of keeping children in their own communities. An example can be found in the “Destination Decision Making” section of the Toolkit.
• What is meant by “direct medical oversight integrates pediatric-specific knowledge”? This means that Medical Control is able to provide direct and immediate guidance on pediatric care. Specific examples can be found in the “Medical Direction and Oversight” section of the Toolkit.