November 12, 2015 |   Previous Issue
Pediatric Readiness Assessment Portal Re-opens

The Pediatric Readiness (Peds Ready) assessment portal reopened on November 1, providing hospitals an opportunity to reassess their readiness in caring for ill and injured children. Upon completion of the assessment, respondents will receive an electronic gap analysis report containing their new Readiness Score, compared to their 2013-14 Readiness Score (if applicable), as well as a breakdown of the overall scoring. To access the portal, go to www.pedsready.org.

Wondering how your efforts are reducing the gaps in pediatric emergency department (ED) readiness? In conjunction with the re-opening of the Peds Ready assessment, the EMSC Program, the EMSC National Resource Center, and the National EMSC Data Analysis Resource Center will host a special webinar at 4:00 pm (Eastern) on Tuesday, November 17. Speakers will discuss the importance of monitoring one's efforts towards improvement as part of the quality quest while showcasing some of the new features of the updated assessment portal. 

For more information, read the story "Register Today for Next Steps in Quality Improvement Webinar." 
Save the Date
The National Healthcare Coalition Preparedness Conference taking place December 1-4, 2015, in San Diego, CA. 

2016 NAEMSP Annual Meeting taking place January 14-16, 2016, in San Diego, CA.

AMCHP Annual Conference taking place January 23-26, 2016, in Washington, DC.

EMS Today Conference and Expo taking place February 25-27, 2016, in Baltimore, MD.

STN Annual Meeting taking place March 30-April 2, 2016, in Anaheim, CA.
 
NASEMSO Spring Meeting taking place April 4-6, 2016, in Bethesda, MD.
EMSC QuickNews welcomes articles on people, programs, and procedures related to emergency medical services for children. All information, artwork, or photography should be submitted to Tanya Brown at the EMSC National Resource Center.
 

 

EMSC QuickNews is published biweekly by the EMSC National Resource Center, 801 Roeder Road, Suite 600, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 301.244.6300 (phone)

 

  

Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved.

Register Today for Next Steps in Quality Improvement Webinar

On Tuesday, November 17, from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm (Eastern), the EMSC Program will host "Next Steps in Quality Improvement: Measuring Your ED Readiness Improvement - Peds Ready Assessment Portal Now Open."

To assist emergency departments (ED) in measuring their progress in becoming ready for children, the Peds Ready assessment portal has reopened. Participating in the reassessment provides an opportunity for all EDs to measure incremental changes and define next steps for improving their pediatric readiness. First time assessment participants will receive a baseline score regarding the pediatric readiness of their ED along with helpful resources to make improvements.

This webinar will discuss the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle of quality improvement and its application to Pediatric Readiness efforts; define the importance of regular assessment/monitoring of change as related to Pediatric Readiness initiatives; discuss the process for accessing and engaging in the assessment; list information that will be provided to respondents upon completion of the assessment; and discuss potential next steps, based on reassessment findings, for reducing the gaps in pediatric emergency care in your ED.

The content for this webinar is appropriate for ED directors, ED physicians and nurses, hospital administrators, state EMSC Program managers, state health department and hospital regulators, health care planners, trauma program coordinators and managers, and others interested in improving pediatric emergency care.

All attendees must pre-register for the event. Once registered, an automated email message will provide registrants with call in/log in information. No continuing education credits will be available for this education event. A certificate of attendance will be available for attendance at the live presentation. To obtain a certificate, submit a completed evaluation form and document your attendance electronically on the sign-in record.
Now Archived: Peds Ready Webinar "Preparing the ED to Provide Psychosocial Support to Children and Families in A Disaster"

From 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm (Eastern) on Monday, September 21, the EMSC Program hosted the webinar National Pediatric Readiness Project: Preparing the Emergency Department to Provide Psychosocial Support to Children and Families in A Disaster. This webinar is now archived and can be viewed online 24/7.

The content for this webinar was appropriate for emergency department (ED) directors, ED physicians and nurses, disaster management specialists, community disaster planners, health care planners, hospital administrators, clinical managers, trauma program coordinators and managers, state EMSC Program managers, EMS providers, family members, as well as others interested in improving pediatric emergency care.
State and Territory Updates
Pediatric Disaster Planning and Preparedness CoP Scheduled

The next Pediatric Disaster Planning and Preparedness Community of Practice (CoP) is scheduled for 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm (Eastern) on Tuesday, November 24, 2015. During this month's meeting, Patricia Frost, MS, RN, PNP, director, Emergency Medical Services for Contra Costa County, and founder and co-chair, California Neonatal/Pediatric/Perinatal Disaster Preparedness Coalition, will present "Small Hospital Pediatric Disaster Preparedness: Building Local Capability."

Small hospitals face special challenges when faced with a pediatric mass casualty event or community disaster affecting families. Explore how a step-by-step approach can make a difference in building pediatric capability for hospitals both large and small.

All attendees will need to pre-register for the event. Once registered, an automated email message will provide registrants with call in/log in information and the passcode.
Indiana EMSC Releases November 2015 Newsletter  

The November 2015 edition of  Indiana EMSC has been released. This edition offers support to organizations interested in developing a pediatric emergency care coordinator role and highlights the program's successful School Nurse Emergency Care course and a new Indiana Department of Health injury prevention guide and mobile app.
National Pediatric Readiness Project Update
Journal of Emergency Nursing Publishes Peds Ready Article on IHS and Tribal EDs

" Pediatric Readiness in Indian Health Service and Tribal Emergency Departments: Results from the National Pediatric Readiness Project," authored by Juliana Sadovich, PhD, RN; Terry Adirim, MD, MPH; Russell Telford, MAS; Lenora Olson, PhD, MA; Marianne Gausche-Hill, MD; and Elizabeth Edgerton, MD, MPH, is being published in the Journal of Emergency Nursing (currently in press). The article presents the results of the National Pediatric Readiness Project (Peds Ready) assessment of the 45 Indian Health Service (IHS)/Tribal emergency departments (ED). In 2014, these EDs treated approximately 650,000 patients, of which 185,000 (28%) were children and youth younger than 19 years.

Despite serving a historically vulnerable population, IHS/Tribal EDs scored favorably when compared with national Peds Ready data. The survey identified areas for improvement, including implementation of quality improvement processes, stocking of pediatric specific equipment, implementation of policies and procedures on interfacility transport, and maintaining staff pediatric competencies.
Research Resources and Results
Barriers and Facilitators to Detecting Child Abuse and Neglect in General Emergency Departments

A recent article published in Annals of Emergency Medicine studies provider experiences with screening and reporting child abuse in general emergency departments (EDs). The article also identifies barriers to and facilitators of child abuse and neglect detection in the ED. 

Using semi-structured interviews, investigators obtained the experiences of 29 providers from three general EDs.  Investigators identified the following barriers to recognizing child abuse and neglect: (1) providers' desire to believe the caregivers, (2) lack of ongoing contact with the family, (3) failure to recognize that the child's presentation could be a result of child abuse and neglect, and (4) provider bias. Additionally, investigators identified the following barriers to reporting child abuse: (1) factors associated with the reporting process, (2) lack of follow-up, and (3) negative consequences because of reporting the abuse or neglect (i.e. having to testify in court). Lastly, investigators identified the following facilitators to detection of child abuse and neglect: real time discussion with peers or supervisors and the belief that it was better for the patient to report in the ED. 

Investigators concluded that there are many ways to improve the detection of child abuse and neglect in general EDs. Examples include, but are not limited to: education, improving follow-up with Child Protective Service agencies, and increasing real-time assistance in patient care decisions.
This Week In Health Policy News
Unvaccinated Babies Refused by Some Doctors

A recent American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) study found that more than 20% of pediatricians "always" or "often" turn away families who decline to vaccinate their babies. The study also found that physicians in the northeast and south were more likely to reject prospective patients because of their refusal to vaccinate their children. 

Although many states allow parents to refuse vaccination of their children for medical, religious, or philosophical beliefs, the AAP study found that doctors were more likely to refuse prospective patients in states that made it more difficult for parents to opt out of recommended vaccinations.

For more information, please see the December issue of Pediatrics.
Family and Caregiver Outreach
Thanksgiving Safety for Families

The Thanksgiving holiday is a special time for families, but it's also the leading day for home fires involving cooking equipment. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has created a webpage dedicated to Thanksgiving fire safety for families and caregivers.

Of course, fire is not the only concern. Proper food handling is another important part of having a safe and happy holiday. Foodsafety.gov's Thanksgiving page features information and resourses on how to ensure that this Turkey Day is memorable for all the right reasons.

Finally, for the families "on the go" this holiday, check out the American Academy of Pediatrics' Travel Safety Tips, which include practical recommendations for those traveling by air or car with children.
Reports and Articles of Interest
AAP Releases New Policy Statement: Ensuring the Health of Children in Disasters

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently released the new policy statement " Ensuring the Health of Children in Disasters " in the November 2015 issue of Pediatrics . The statement stresses the importance of collaboration between pediatricians, institutions, and agencies that serve children to ensure the health and well-being of children in disasters. Strategies for pediatricians and others involved in the care and well-being of children to prepare for and mitigate the effects of disasters are included.

For more information, see the
AAP Children & Disasters website   . 
JCAT Releases 2015 Intelligence Guide for First Responders

The Joint Counterterrorism Assessment Team (JCAT) released the  2015 Intelligence Guide for First Responders . This guide updates the 2011 edition, and was produced by first responders for first responders, to improve information sharing among state, local, tribal, and territorial jurisdictions and the federal government. This guide addresses:
  • first responders' roles and responsibilities as a consumer of intelligence information;
  • how to handle this information and why it must be protected;
  • how to gain access to internet-based U.S. Government systems; and
  • existing federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partnerships that first responders can use to carry out their duties and responsibilities.
In addition, the guide discusses the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative and provides an overview of the Intelligence Community, the intelligence cycle, and the products available to first responders.
FEMA Hosts "Preparing Individuals Disproportionately Impacted by Disasters" Webinar

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Individual and Community Preparedness Division will present the webinar "Preparing Individuals Disproportionately Impacted by Disasters" from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm (Eastern) on Monday, November 23. This webinar will discuss disaster preparedness efforts to serve populations that are disproportionately impacted during an emergency due to risk factors related to limited English proficiency, culture, socio-economics, and national identity.
 
Participants are asked to register in advance for the webinar. Closed captioning will be provided.


EMSC SnapShot Tool graphic
Featured Resource

The EMSC SnapShot Data Tool allows users to view and filter results from the 2015 EMSC State and Territory Partnership SnapShot Self-Assessment. Use it to display the data by assessment question, region, or by comparison of states/territories. Users will be able to compare data between states/territories and regions in order to look for trends and perhaps contact managers in other states to learn from them and develop collaborative projects.