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Challenges Created by the COVID-19 Pandemic: Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Disaster Management Perspectives
Thomas E Tanner1, Nichole R Davis1, Brent D Kaziny1
1Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Insights
Pediatric emergency departments faced challenges during COVID-19. Sharing experiences and solutions for communication, PPE, and patient surge preparedness can improve future pandemic readiness.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Public Health
- Infectious Disease Outbreaks
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) departments globally.
- Maintaining high-quality patient care and ensuring workforce safety were primary concerns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the specific challenges encountered by PEM departments during the early COVID-19 pandemic.
- To understand the strategies and solutions implemented by these departments to overcome identified barriers.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study utilizing semi-structured interviews with 14 PEM-trained physicians in leadership roles.
- Purposive sampling and thematic analysis of interview transcripts by two independent coders.
- Constant comparison analysis and member-checking were employed to ensure trustworthiness and validity.
Main Results:
- Key themes identified included communication, leadership and planning, clinical practice adaptations, and personal safety measures.
- Specific recommendations focused on enhancing communication, hospital incident command representation, surge capacity planning (including adult patient acceptance), personal protective equipment (PPE) management, and testing strategies.
- Physicians also shared personal adaptations made to protect themselves and their families.
Conclusions:
- Sharing COVID-19 experiences and solutions among pediatric emergency departments is crucial.
- This knowledge exchange can enhance preparedness for future pandemics and similar public health crises.
Objective:
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has presented unique challenges to pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) departments. The purpose of this study was to identify these challenges and ascertain how centers overcame barriers in creating solutions to continue to provide high-quality care and keep their workforce safe during the early pandemic.
Methods:
This is a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with physicians in leadership positions who have disaster or emergency management experience. Participants were identified through purposive sampling. Interviews were recorded and transcribed electronically. Themes and codes were extracted from the transcripts by 2 independent coders. Constant comparison analysis was performed until thematic saturation was achieved. Member-checking was completed to ensure trustworthiness.
Results:
Fourteen PEM-trained physicians participated in this study. Communication, leadership and planning, clinical practice, and personal adaptations were the principal themes identified. Recommendations elicited include improving communication strategies; increasing emergency department (ED) representation within hospital-wide incident command; preparing for a surge and accepting adult patients; personal protective equipment supply and usage; developing testing strategies; and adaptations individuals made to their practice to keep themselves and their families safe.
Conclusions:
By sharing COVID-19 experiences and offering solutions to commonly encountered problems, pediatric EDs may be better prepared for future pandemics.
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