Advice & Tips for working with pediatric er patients

Wow......get the ENPC course book and read it. Pediatrics is a specialty all it's own. their airways are different....smaller and structurally....they can eat and breathe. Remember that 1mm of swelling on an adult airway that is 5mm wide is completely than 1mm of swelling on a 1mm airway. Vital signs are not a predictor of how sick a kid is for they can compensate forever and by the time they reflect it in their vitals....they are in critical trouble. The cap refill/urine output is a great indicator on the younger pedi population as an indicator of distress and end organ perfusion.

So when did they last pee and how many wet diapers in x any of time is huge!!!! Using accessory muscle is a huge sign of distress.

They need fluid, O2, and keep them warm. A crying and screaming kid is a stable kid....it's the quiet ones that will/should scare you. If the child has a congenital/chronic illness listen to the parent.....they have done this before and can help you.

Rhythms for kids....slow, fast, and absent. familiarize yourself with the normal vital signs for the age group!

Infants....was the baby full term, what was birth weight, weigh all babies regardless of what the parents say...emphasize how important it is as that is how the medicines are given. Small mistakes have huge consequences for the pedi population. If they are small so should the dose be as all doses are weight based.

The enpc (emergency nursing peds course) has a terrific pets triage standard that should be used by all eds.
ciiamppedds: cis chief complaint, i is immunizations, i is isolation (has the child been exposed to any communicable diseases), a is allergies, m is medications, p is past medical history, p is parents impression of the child's condition, e is the event surrounding the illness or injury, d is diet, d is diapers (voids) and s is signs and symptoms

great power point triage assessment
http://webmedia.unmc.edu/bioprepare/...c%20triage.pdf




Read through this...it is very informative.
triage course - nursing continuing education (ce) - nurse ce -

PEWS.....the pediatric early warning (pew) score system can help nurses assess pediatric patients objectively using vital signs in the pediatric intensive care unit. the scoring system takes into account the child's behavior, as well as cardiovascular and respiratory symptoms. http://www.colorado5millionlives.org...t-8.08-pg9.pdf

ahrq innovations exchange | pediatric early warning (pew) score system

this is another great assessment tool for assessment short and sweet but informative.

http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/co...m_pews_tch.pdf

Parents welcome....sitting in a in a chair, without wheels, only. Parents like Gomers will go to ground.
(I couldn't resist "The House of GOD" reference)

If they have tears have no fears.....If the pacifier's wet they're all set.

Learn nursery rhymes and learn the popular kids shows.... NOW!

They are going to cry from the moment you begin to hold them...forage on! You and the parents will remember it much longer than they will.

Beads will find places where no bead has gone before......

The art of calming a parent that although their child is bleeding and it's important to everyone.....
the child will survive the injury.

OP you are already doing what you should....educate yourself.

http://allnurses.com/emergency-nursi...se-742288.html