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National survey of institutional pediatric disaster preparedness
Timothy M Ketterhagen1, Deanna L Dahl-Grove2, Michele R McKee3
1Fellow of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Emergency Medicine, The University of Chicago, Comer Children's Hospital, Chicago, Illinois.
Insights
Most hospitals include pediatric patients in disaster plans. Having a dedicated pediatric disaster planner significantly improves pediatric-specific disaster preparedness, including special needs and decontamination protocols.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Public Health Preparedness
- Pediatric Care
Background:
- Effective disaster preparedness is crucial for all patient populations.
- Pediatric patients present unique challenges during mass casualty events.
- Ensuring specialized care for children in emergencies requires targeted institutional strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe institutional disaster preparedness strategies for pediatric patients.
- To identify factors influencing the inclusion of pediatric considerations in disaster plans.
- To assess the impact of dedicated pediatric disaster planning roles.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study utilizing survey methodology.
- Surveys were distributed to hospitals across the United States providing emergency pediatric care.
- Hospital personnel familiar with institutional disaster plans provided responses.
Main Results:
- 63% of hospitals had a designated individual for pediatric disaster planning.
- 78% of hospitals specifically addressed pediatric patient care (<16 yo) in their disaster plans.
- Hospitals with a pediatric disaster planner were more likely to have comprehensive pediatric-specific plans, including special needs and decontamination exercises.
Conclusions:
- The majority of surveyed hospitals incorporate pediatric patients into their disaster preparedness.
- Designated pediatric disaster planners are associated with more robust and specific pediatric disaster preparedness measures.
- These findings highlight the importance of specialized roles in enhancing pediatric emergency response.
Objective:
Describe institutional disaster preparations focusing upon the strategies to address pediatric patients in disaster preparedness.
Design:
Descriptive study using survey methodology.
Setting:
Hospitals that provide emergency care to pediatric patients throughout the United States.
Participants:
Survey responses were solicited from hospital personnel that are familiar with the disaster preparedness plan at their institution.
Interventions:
None.
Main Outcome Measures:
Describe how pediatric patients are included in institutional disaster preparedness plans. The presence of a pediatric-specific lead, policies and procedures, and geographic/demographic patterns are also a focus.
Results:
The survey was distributed to 120 hospitals throughout the United States and responses were received from 29 states. Overall response rate was 58 percent, with 53 percent of the surveys fully completed. Sixty-three percent of hospitals had an individual responsible for pediatric-specific disaster planning and 78 percent specifically addressed the care of pediatric patients (<16 yo) in their disaster plan. The hospitals with an individual designated for pediatric disaster planning were more likely to have a disaster plan that specifically addresses the care of pediatric patients (90 percent vs 56 percent; p = 0.015), to represent children with special healthcare needs as simulated patients in disaster exercises (73 percent vs 22 percent; p = 0.003), and to include pediatric decontamination procedures in disaster exercises (78 percent vs 35 percent; p = 0.008) than hospitals without a designated pediatric disaster planner.
Conclusion:
The majority of hospitals surveyed incorporate pediatric patients into their disaster preparedness plan. Those hospitals with an individual designated for pediatric disaster planning were more likely to specifically address the care of pediatric patients in their institutional disaster plan.
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