Medical Organizations Partner on Optimizing Child Patient Safety in Emergency Settings

ITASCA, Ill. — Three medical organizations representing more than 157,000 pediatric healthcare providers, nurses, and emergency-department clinicians have issued joint recommendations for improving the safety of care of children in emergency-care settings.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), and the Emergency Nurses Assoc. (ENA) released a policy statement, “Optimizing Pediatric Patient Safety in the Emergency Care Setting,” along with an accompanying technical report. Both are being published in the November 2022 Pediatrics (published online Oct. 3), as well as Annals of Emergency Medicine and the Journal of Emergency Nursing.

“This policy lays out the steps that emergency departments can take to lessen the risk of medical errors and provide safe care for children of all ages,” said Dr. Madeline Joseph, lead author of the joint statement. “This includes keeping medicines and equipment on hand that are appropriate for children. It also means listening and engaging families in decisions about child’s care.”

The emergency department can experience frequent workflow interruptions, multiple care transitions, and other routine challenges that make prioritizing the safe care of critically ill and injured children even more important.

Safety for patients of all ages remains a priority and should include best practices for weight-dependent medication dosing and the need for appropriate equipment and training.

The statement describes the importance of leaders adopting policies that emphasize patient safety and making sure emergency departments have trained personnel, supplies, and equipment considered critical for managing pediatric emergencies.

The AAP, ACEP, and ENA also call for identifying language and cultural barriers in the emergency-care setting. Research has shown that patients with language, culture, and socioeconomic challenges are disproportionately at risk of experiencing preventable adverse events in the health care system.

“The number-one concern of all emergency nurses is the health and safety of our patients who come into the ED,” ENA President Jenn Schmitz said. “Pediatric patients require more specialized care and equipment than adult patients, so it’s imperative for everyone in the ED to work together as a whole and be fully committed to the proper care of pediatric patients that come in.”

Emergency departments also need to be prepared for treating children with mental-healthcare needs, especially during crises such as the COVID pandemic, the technical report notes.

“Children are not little adults,” Joseph said. “There are many ways we can improve safety for all patients who are seen in an emergency setting. It will take time and teamwork.”