ENA, AAP and ACEP Publish Joint Policy Statement Emphasizing Pediatric Readiness

This week, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), and the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) published their first joint policy statement on the topic of pediatric patient safety in the emergency care setting.

The policy statement and its accompanying technical report emphasize the culture of safety in the emergency department (EDs). Recognizing that the majority of acutely ill and injured children present to community hospital EDs, an emphasis on pediatric readiness is of paramount importance. Pediatric readiness, a cornerstone concept of the Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Program, encourages EDs to have in place the evidence-based components required to provide high-quality emergency care for children – such as pediatric-specific champions, competencies, protocols, equipment, and supplies.

“Patient safety is at the heart of pediatric readiness,” says Mohsen Saidinejad, MD, MS, MBA, senior author of the publication and a member of the EMSC Innovation and Improvement Center executive team. “We are glad to see pediatric readiness tenets front and center in this joint policy statement. It’s a testament to the years of close collaboration among the organizations involved, and a great opportunity to truly help move the needle in optimizing the quality of care that children receive, regardless of which ED they visit.”

The EMSC Program, AAP, ACEP, and ENA partner on the National Pediatric Readiness Project (NPRP), a quality improvement initiative that aims to empower EDs to improve their pediatric readiness, as described in the 2018 joint policy statement of AAP, ACEP, and ENA, “Pediatric readiness in the emergency department.” [1]

The results of an assessment of pediatric readiness at 3,647 EDs nationwide, conducted last year through the NPRP, are anticipated to be published in the coming months.

Learn more about pediatric readiness.

[1] https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/142/5/e20182459/38608/Pediatric-Readiness-in-the-Emergency-Department