Patient and Family Perspectives

Featuring members of EMSC’s Family Advisory Network (FAN). Learn more about the FAN.

Name: Jordana Carpenter

State: Arizona

Why did you become a FAN? “ I wanted to become a FAN, not only to lend my experiences and knowledge of the medical world that I have worked in for over 20 years, but also being a mother to a child with complex medical needs, I wanted to be able to advocate for those families like mine. Being in the medical field and a parent of a complex medical child, I have learned the struggles and challenges these patients and their families face in both the healthcare world and daily life.”

What is the most important thing for emergency practitioners to know about caring for children in emergencies? “The most important thing for emergency practitioners to know about caring for children in emergencies is they may not be a textbook patient, and to think outside of the ‘textbook’ answers. Trust in your families who take care of these patients all day every day to know how their child normally presents for them. These families may not have medical schooling, but they do know their child - because they live it.”