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INITIAL PEDIATRIC ASSESSMENT TEACHING TOOL
Emergencies involving
children comprise only a small percentage of ambulance runs, affording limited
opportunities for prehospital personnel to develop and practice their skills in pediatric
care. Prehospital personnel typically identify that the patients who generate the greatest
level of anxiety for them in the field are children. This emphasizes the need for ongoing
education in order to refresh one's knowledge and skill base as well as to ensure clinical
consistency with current practice guidelines.
Children are not "small
adults". There are a number of significant anatomic and physiological differences
between children and adults which impact on assessment and management. The child is not
only physically smaller but also has respiratory and cardiovascular systems that are
immature with fewer reserves than those of the adult. Consequently, the child in
respiratory or cardiac distress will likely decompensate more rapidly than the adult with
a comparable illness or injury.
A child's psychosocial and communication
skills are still under development. Therefore, the child may be unable to convey key
information to assist the prehospital provider in their assessment. These differences, as
well as numerous others, are why prehospital personnel must develop assessment skills that
address the unique aspects and needs of the child. This prehospital pediatric initial
assessment teaching tool provides a systematic and comprehensive approach to the initial
assessment of the child. This document can be incorporated into prehospital primary and
continuing education.
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