Prehospital Pediatric Readiness Toolkit
The Prehospital Pediatric Readiness EMS Agency Checklist is is based on the 2020 joint policy statement “Pediatric Readiness in Emergency Medical Services Systems”, co-authored by the Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP), and National Association of EMTs (NAEMT). Additional details can be found in the AAP Technical Report “Pediatric Readiness in Emergency Medical Services Systems”.
Use this tool to check if your EMS agency is ready to care for children as recommended in the Policy Statement. Consider using resources compiled by the Health & Human Resources EMS for Children program when implementing the recommendations noted here, to include the Prehospital Pediatric Readiness Toolkit.
The National Prehospital Pediatric Readiness Toolkit content is organized by the seven domains of prehospital pediatric readiness as outlined in the Checklist. The tools and resources align with the Joint Policy Statement and will assist prehospital emergency care providers to better understand and achieve the components of pediatric readiness in the prehospital environment. The resources in this toolkit have been curated by a comprehensive team of stakeholders and will be usefull to all dedicated to delivering high-quality pediatric prehospital care.
Education & Competency
This section has resources to assist in ongoing education, along with tools to help demonstrate competencies.
Disaster
- Disaster Debrief Script
- Disaster Simulation Curriculum (5 documents)
- Pediatric Disaster Triage Training (JumpSTART)
- 60 Seconds to Survival Disaster Triage (video game, focuses on prehospital triage of pediatric and adult disaster victims)
Policies, Procedures, & Protocols (to include Medical Oversight)
This section has documents created by pediatric emergency experts and provide guidance on creating and incorporating pediatric needs into policies, procedures, and protocols
Child Maltreatment
- NAEMSP Review Guide for Emergency Medical Services Clinical Practice and Systems Oversight, Second Edition 2018 Edition (Child Maltreatment, page 121)
- NASEMSO National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines, Version 2.2 (Abuse and Maltreatment, page 49)
- Sample Child Maltreatment Policy Template (ED template, but includes information on how EMS providers can gather data to report to ED)
Dispatch
- Emergency Medical Dispatch for Children Where Are We And Where Do We Go?
- How well do General EMS 911 dispatch protocols predict ED resource utilization for pediatric patients? (American Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2014 Mar;32(3):199-202. Epub 2013 Oct 1)
Fever
- Pediatric Fever (ENA Topic Brief)
- Febrile Seizures Discharge InstructionsP (ENA)
Medical Direction
- Definition of Emergency Medicine (ACEP Policy Statement)
- NAEMSP Review Guide for Emergency Medical Services, Clinical Practice and Systems Oversight, 2018 Edition (Volume 2: Medical Oversight of EMS, page 144)
- Out-of-Hospital Medical Direction and the Intervener Physician (ACEP Policy Statement)
- Physician Medical Direction of Emergency Medical Services Education Programs (ACEP Policy Statement)
- Physician Oversight of Pediatric Care in Emergency Medical Services (NAEMSP Position Statement)
- The Role of Emergency Physicians in Emergency Medical Services for Children (ACEP Policy Statement)
- The Role of the Physician Medical Director in Emergency Medical Services Leadership (ACEP Policy Statement)
Pain Management
- Needle-Related or Minor Procedural Pain in Pediatric Patients (ENA Clinical Practice Guideline)
- Pediatric Pain Management Toolkit
Special Health Care Needs
- Children with Special Health Care Needs: A Template for Prehospital Protocol Development
- Children with Special Health Care Needs, Reference Card (NY EMSC)
- Model EMS Clinical Guidelines, Version 2.2 (Universal Care, Functional Needs, page 16)
- NAEMSP Review Guide for Emergency Medical Services Clinical Practice and Systems Oversight, Second Edition 2018 Edition (Section IX: Special Populations, pages 103-108)
- The Prehospital Care of Children With Special Health Care Needs (Brent D.Kaziny MD, MA. Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Volume 15, Issue 1, March 2014, Pages 89-95)
Trauma
- Guidelines for Field Triage of Injured Patients: Recommendations of the National Expert Panel on Field Triage, 2011 (CDC)
- Management of Pediatric Trauma (AAP Policy Statement)
- Mass Casualty Triage Algorithms
- Model Clinical Guidelines, Version 2.2 (Trauma, pages 178-218)
- NAEMSP Review Guide for Emergency Medical Services Clinical Practice and Systems Oversight, Second Edition 2018 Edition (Pediatric Trauma Priorities, page 107)
- Spinal Motion Restriction in the Trauma Patient – A Joint Position Statement (ACS-COT, ACEP, & NAEMSP)
- Prehospital Guidelines Consortium: Pediatric Evidence-Based Guidelines
General Resources
- Model EMS Clinical Guidelines, Version 2.2 (pediatrics addressed throughout)
- Integrating Evidence-Based Pediatric Prehospital Protocols into Practice (presentation by Manish I. Shah, MD)
Emergency Medicine
- Quality Measures for Pediatric Prehospital Evidence-Based Guidelines
- Quality Improvement for Pre Hospital Providers
Healthcare
- Institute of Medicine QI Channel
- Institute for Healthcare Improvement: Improvement Project Roadmap
- QI Essentials Toolkit
Equipment for Ground Ambulances
Weighing/Dosing
- Weighing All Patients in Kilograms
- Volumetric Dosing: Is it the Ultimate Solution? Presentation
- Pediatric Dosing Chart
- Pediatric Dosing Guide
Medication Safety/Adverse Events
- Ambulance Personnel Perceptions of Near Misses and Adverse Events in Pediatric Patients
- Medication dosing safety for pediatric patients recognizing gaps,safety threats and best practices in the EMS setting (NAEMSP position statement)
Transport
- Interim Guidance for Safe Transport of Children
Patient- & Family-Centered Care
This section will provide education and resources to incorporate patient and family centered principles into policies and procedures
Survey/Assessment
- Family Survey Tool
- Patient- and Family-Centered Care for Children in the Emergency Department: A Self-Assessment Tool
Families as Advisors
- Family Centered Prehospital Care: partnering with Families to Improve Care
- Working With Patient and Families as Advisors
- Promoting Patient and Family- Centered Care in the Prehospital Setting: A Toolkit for Medical Directors
Communications/Guidelines
- Guidelines for Family-Centered Prehospital Care
- Communicating With Children and Families: From Everyday Interactions to Skill in Conveying Distressing Information
- Communication Cards to use as an Aid for Communicating with LEP/Non-verbal Patients
- Patient- and Family-Centered Care of Children in the Emergency Department
Interactions with Systems of Care
This section with provide resources to collaborate with organizations and systems to care for pediatric patients across the continuum
Disaster
- Planning for Children in Disasters
- Family Reunification Following Disasters: A Planning Tool for Health Care Facilities
Mental Health
- Compassionate Options for Pediatric EMS (COPE)
Child Maltreatment
- First Responders and Child Maltreatment, A Resource Guide
Handoffs/Transitions
- Handoffs: Transitions of Care for Children in the Emergency Department