Patient and family perspectives: Kim Mears

“Patient and family perspectives” features members of EMSC’s Family Advisory Network (FAN). Learn more about the FAN here.

Name: Kim Mears

State: Indiana

Why did you become a FAN? “I became a FAN to be able to give back, use my knowledge that I learned from being a parent to a medically compromised, critically ill child, and help families navigate for their children.” 

What do you want emergency practitioners to know about centering the family in their care?  “I would love all pediatric emergency practitioners to know that parents of sick kids know everything about their child. We may not have medical degrees but we have a 24/7, hands-on skills lab with real children. We advocate so hard because most of the time we are the only voices fighting for our children. We see things that are not in textbooks or don’t make any sense but then there is that ah-ha moment and it is clear what we have been advocating for.”