Few Emergency Rooms Fully Equipped for Pediatric Patients

Few hospitals within American have the correct equipment that facilitates them treating pediatric emergency cases, said researchers in a recent press release. While many hospitals are forced to serve both adults and children, some hospitals may not be prepared to serve the children that are brought to their facility for treatment.

Researchers at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed) detailed their findings. They determined that while hospitals do treat pediatric emergencies, often they are using equipment that is not properly equipped to be used on children.

During this study, researchers determined that the vast majority, 89 percent, of children who visit a hospital emergency room go to regular hospitals, and they do not visit hospitals specifically designated as a children's hospital.

A quarter, or 25 percent, these visits take place in rural hospitals, or hospitals that are remote and not near a city.

Very few, only 6 percent, of hospitals have a separate pediatric emergency department within the hospital itself.

While many pieces of equipment can be dual purpose, that is, serve both adults and children, this is not the case for all equipment. Certainly many of the pieces of equipment, including those used for CT scans, MRI scans, x-rays, to name just a few, can be adopted to be used for children of all ages.

However, there are also many pieces of hospital equipment that is not easily adaptable to serving the needs of children, including infants.

Researchers noted that 50 percent of the hospitals that responded to this survey said that they did not carry laryngeal mask airways that were suitable for children. While this seems like a small point to many people, this small point could cost the lives of children who were treated at these hospitals.

While some of the equipment needed to provide care for children can be expensive, much of the equipment is not.

"Seventeen percent of the hospitals that responded to the survey did not have Magill forceps for removing foreign bodies from a child's airway. This equipment may be life-saving, so this study highlights important issues for patient safety," said Dr. Gausche-Hill.

This study was conducted by contacting emergency rooms across America. Over 1,489 different emergency rooms throughout the United States responded to this survey.

Parents are advised to take their children to a specially designated children's hospital for treatment whenever possible.

The results of this survey have been published in the American Academy of Pediatrics peer-reviewed journal, Pediatrics.

Source:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-12/labr-lbr120307.php