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Prehospital evaluation and care of the special needs and technology-dependent child
1Division of Critical Care Medicine, Ciincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, OH, USA.
Insights
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers can confidently care for children with special healthcare needs. Most required care falls within standard scope of practice, emphasizing rapid assessment and transport.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Specialized Healthcare
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Background:
- Children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN) are frequently encountered by EMS providers.
- The complexity of CSHCN and their specialized equipment can be intimidating for EMS personnel.
- Existing knowledge gaps may lead to hesitancy in managing these pediatric patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide EMS providers with a framework for managing CSHCN.
- To demystify the care of pediatric patients with special needs.
- To reinforce the scope of practice for EMS in these scenarios.
Main Methods:
- Review of common CSHCN encountered in prehospital settings.
- Emphasis on the ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) assessment approach.
- Guidance on utilizing the child's primary care provider as a resource.
Main Results:
- The majority of CSHCN care aligns with standard EMS scope of practice.
- A rapid ABC assessment is often sufficient for initial management.
- Timely hospital transport is crucial for complex cases.
Conclusions:
- EMS providers can effectively manage CSHCN with existing skills.
- Collaboration with the child's care provider enhances patient outcomes.
- Education and confidence-building are key for EMS in pediatric special needs care.
Abstract:
As EMS providers, most of you will care for a child with a special healthcare need at some point in your career. The complexity of these patients and the vast array of specialized equipment required for their medical care, however, need not be frightening. Most of the care these children require will fall within your scope of practice. A rapid assessment using the ABC approach and timely transport to the hospital will be sufficient in the majority of cases. Remember, the child's care provider is a valuable resource and should be used to the fullest extent whenever possible.