Emergency Experts
Pediatric E.R. team provides quality care for children and families
The UF Health Shands Pediatric E.R. provides families with a convenient, one-stop children’s health center for emergency care. The Pediatric E.R. is open 24/7 for patients 17 and under and the team can treat up to 30,000 pediatric emergencies per year. Children arriving at our Pediatric E.R. are either brought in by a friend or family member or arrive by ambulance. Patients receive care from UF Health Shands nurses and clinical staff and UF College of Medicine pediatric emergency medicine physicians. These experts have access to providers in more than 20 pediatric specialties at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. No matter the challenge, this multidisciplinary team goes the extra mile.
What can patients and families expect at the Pediatric E.R.?
Our Pediatric E.R. is designed to put families at ease and to support the high-quality, safe care provided by our faculty and staff.
Here are some of its features:
- A separate entrance to welcome children and families
- Complimentary valet parking and a nearby parking garage for fast access
- A kid-friendly, nautical-themed design with colorful artwork and furniture, including fish tanks, porthole windows and walls painted to simulate waves
- Thirteen private treatment rooms
- Two resuscitation rooms
- One conscious-sedation room for casting broken bones and stitching wounds
- A private room for radiology imaging
- The latest equipment and technology designed specifically for pediatric patients
HERE’S A LOOK AT A CHILD’S JOURNEY FROM A UF HEALTH SHANDSCAIR AMBULANCE TO OUR PEDIATRIC E.R.
Breathing difficulties due to asthma and/or allergies is one of the most common reasons patients come to our Pediatric E.R. Here are the steps taken by our Pediatric E.R. faculty and staff to care for these patients.
Patient arrival
If a patient is having trouble breathing, his or her family may call 911 and EMS will transport the child to the Pediatric E.R. for care.
Check-in
At the registration desk, an admissions specialist works with a family member to register the patient.
Triage
Staff assesses the patient’s condition and measures all vital signs to determine acuity and next steps in care.
Room assignment
The team assigns the patient to a room where a nurse further evaluates his or her condition.
Evaluation
A pediatric resident, emergency medicine resident and attending physician evaluate the patient. In this example, they diagnose the patient with asthma.
Treatment plan
A respiratory therapist provides a nebulizer, teaches the patient and his or her family how to use the breathing treatment device and discusses medication dosage.
Referral
If hospital admission is not necessary, the care team will discharge the patient and provide a referral to a UF Health pulmonologist for follow-up care. If admission is required, UF pediatric hospitalists, faculty and staff will provide expert care to patients with severe asthma conditions.