COERRN

Pediatric patients are the largest population served in emergency rooms across the U.S.. In 2015, there were 30 million pediatric ER visits. Ideally, your child will never need emergency care, but if they do, here are 5 helpful tips to make your ER visit as smooth as possible. 1. Consider ALL other options FIRST. Did you know that most pediatricians and family practice clinics offer phone consultations with an on-call doctor or provider 24/7? If you're not sure if your child needs to go the ER at 2am on a Sunday morning, try giving your pediatrician's office a call. You'll likely be given instructions through a recording or an answering service that connects you with someone who can answer your pressing questions. Obviously, do not use this for life-threatening situations. This is a good resource for when you're just not sure if your child is truly having an emergency. For minor cuts, burns, sprains, and strains, a walk-in clinic (also called urgent care, prompt-care, etc.) is usually more than capable of treating a child. Consider all of these options before coming to the Emergency Room. 2. Most fevers are not harmful. One of the leading reasons for pediatric ER visits is fever. Fever is a natural body process to fight-off infection from a viral (most common in kids) or a bacterial source. Fever becomes concerning only when it is coupled with other concerning symptoms, such as inability to take fluids or extreme sleepiness. The "highness" of the fever is not an indicator of the degree of illness. Rest, fluids, and appropriate medications as recommended by your pediatrician are usually all that is needed for a child with a fever (see #1 if you have questions about safe medications and dosing). Exposing them to the stress and germs of the ER may be more harmful than helpful in a child with a febrile illness. Fever is not normal under any circumstance in infants under 3 months of age and should be addressed immediately. Save this link for a quick reference about fever in children for the next time you're worried about your little pumpkins temperature: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/fever.html 3. Stay with your child while they are in the ER. Please plan to stay with your child for the duration of their ER stay. Staff may ask you to leave the room for some procedures and tests (such as x-ray) but otherwise, it is helpful to have a calm, loving, and present adult at the bedside. Even when it is hard to be there, it is even harder on your child. Please don't walk away when they get poked or catheterized, they need you in those scary and painful moments and so does the staff. If you can't be calm and reassuring to your child, we encourage you to find a friend or family member who can be. 4. Follow your discharge instructions. Your nurse and provider will give you a specific plan to follow once you get home. Please follow it exactly as instructed. It is especially important to follow-up with your child's pediatrician as indicated, even if they seem better. Closing this loop in your child's care leads to the best outcome for them and can prevent another trip to the emergency room. 5. Trust your gut. We acknowledge and respect that you know your child best. If your gut tells you that you need to be in the ER, we will gladly serve you and your child to the best of our abilities. We sincerely hope that your child will never need the care of the Emergency Room. However, should you find yourself there, you can rest assured that a team of dedicated, skilled, and compassionate nurses will be by your side. References Overview of Pediatric Emergency Visits. Fever Phobia as a Reason for Pediatric Emergency Department Visits... Kid's Health for Parents

Have you tried talking to your current boss openly about your issues? I would explain that while you have enjoyed the new perspective of floor nursing, the ER is your "home" and that you would like to notify her that you'll be actively looking to transfer to the ER. She/he may be understanding of this. As an ER nurse who worked med/surg for 4 years prior to becoming an ER nurse, I would NEVER go back to the floor. It was a great foundation and I enjoyed it at the time, but there really is something so special about the ER that I could never walk away from.

I don't believe rescue breaths during seizure activity is the standard. You only need to do that if apnea is present after seizing has stopped. If he seizes just place him on his side and make sure he doesn't injure himself, start timing, and administer meds as prescribed. After seizing has stopped, assess airway, breathing, circulation and intervene as needed in those three areas. It is that simple. As for the bus, I would follow policy/procedure. If the child cannot receive his meds, then I suppose calling 911 would be the bus driver's only option. If I was his parent I wouldn't have him ride the bus, to be honest. Usually kids with seizure disorders don't need an ambulance called with a "standard" seizure as long as a trained adult can appropriately manage their condition. I would try to avoid all situations where the only thing the adult can do is call an ambulance. It would be expensive and unnecessary for him to have a "standard" (for him) seizure and end up with a huge ambulance bill and ER visit. In general, I think getting CPR certified is good for the bus driver. I don't think he needs to get certified for this specific kid.