SP Newsletters and Educational Sites are Popping Up to Support Pediatric Readiness

Contributed by Phyllis L. Hendry, MD, FAAP, FACEP

Caring for children in the emergency setting can be challenging due to the wide range of ages and disease states or injuries that differ from adults. The goal of Florida PEDReady is to enhance pediatric emergency care, “readiness” and preparation in Florida EDs and EMS agencies with emphasis on community hospitals and rural counties. A free access website was launched in February 2018 in collaboration with the Florida Emergency Learning and Resource Center (EMLRC), Florida EMSC Program, FL EMSC Advisory Committee and the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville. The purpose of the website is to serve as a one-stop hub for pediatric emergency information and resources to share with hospitals, EDs and EMS agencies. Local, state and national resources are included, and topics are continuously added to the site. The website also includes EMSC performance measures, EMS state plan information and Florida PEDReady PECC (pediatric emergency care coordinator/champion) information.

On April 4, 2019, a new weekly newsbrief (The PE2ARL) was launched along with an opt-in listserve for PECCs and a sign-up for The PE2ARL. The newsbrief focuses on a topic each week that can be reviewed in 10 minutes and contains supplemental resources, upcoming conferences, EIIC information and late-breaking news or articles. So far, we have 240 subscribers in just one month! PEDReady champions are encouraged to share the weekly topic with their colleagues and to suggest future topics, announcements or nominations for a PEDReady Champion of the week. For more information visit https://www.emlrc.org/flpedready/ or email us at pedready@jax.ufl.edu. Visit http://bit.ly/flpearl to sign up for your weekly PE2ARL!

Florida PEDReady PECCs (EMS and ED) receive a PEDReady “Toolkit” full of educational resources, PEDReady Medical Communication Cards, and a Distraction Toolbox. A new version of the communication cards includes Spanish terms.

Contributed by Liz Kendrick, EMT-P, BA

The Missouri EMSC website was born out of the idea to provide all of PECCs and other contacts about the EMSC programs to a single landing site. The website, initiated by SP Coordinator Liz Kendrick, is a one-stop shop for informational packets, contact information, and event registration. They have also created a PECC membership page. This page provides networking opportunities for Missouri PECCs with a discussion board, opportunities to reach out to pediatric emergency medicine doctors from across the state and post educational events to provide awareness to others. .Check out their site at https://www.moemsc.com/

One of the first EMSC State Partnership Newsletters, iEMSC, remains up and running! Program Manager, Margo Knefelkamp keeps EMSC stakeholders in Indiana up to date with announcements regarding educational opportunities, advocacy and other information. She has also added a separate, additional quarterly newsletter than focuses on the Pediatric Emergence Care Coordinator and their special needs. Check out the current edition of iEMSC at http://www.indianaemsc.org/.