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Hospital-based screening tools in the identification of non-accidental trauma
Dani O Gonzalez1, Katherine J Deans1
1Department of Surgery, Center for Surgical Outcomes Research, The Research Institute, Nationwide Children׳s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio; Department of Pediatric Surgery, Nationwide Children׳s Hospital, 700 Children׳s Dr, Columbus, Ohio 43205.
Insights
Hospital screening for suspected non-accidental trauma (NAT) can identify sentinel injuries in over 700,000 children annually. Early detection through effective NAT screening tools facilitates interventions to reduce mortality rates.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Child Abuse and Neglect
- Forensic Medicine
Background:
- Over 700,000 children in the US experience abuse or neglect yearly.
- Untreated non-accidental trauma (NAT) carries a high mortality rate.
- Identifying sentinel injuries is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline essential components of hospital-based NAT screening tools.
- To highlight existing NAT screening programs.
- To improve early detection and intervention for child abuse and neglect.
Main Methods:
- Review of essential components for effective NAT screening tools.
- Identification of key elements in existing hospital-based programs.
- Focus on electronic medical record integration and multidisciplinary team approaches.
Main Results:
- Effective NAT screening requires provider education on recognizing abuse indicators.
- Electronic medical record integration with automated prompts aids specialty referrals.
- Multidisciplinary teams are vital for comprehensive child protection in acute care.
Conclusions:
- Hospital-based NAT screening is essential for identifying child abuse and neglect.
- Key components include provider education, EMR integration, and multidisciplinary teams.
- Implementing robust screening tools can decrease mortality associated with recurrent NAT.
Abstract:
Over 700,000 children are victims of abuse and neglect each year in the United States. Effective screening programs that entail broad capture of suspected non-accidental trauma (NAT) may help to identify sentinel injuries. This can facilitate earlier detection and psychosocial interventions in hopes of decreasing recurrent NAT, which confers a higher mortality rate. The purpose of this article is to outline essential components of hospital-based NAT screening tools and highlight existing programs. In general, these tools should include several components: education sessions for healthcare providers on how to identify signs of NAT, automated notes or checklists within the electronic medical record to prompt specialty referrals, and a multidisciplinary team of experts that can address the needs of these children in the acute care setting.
