Hospital-based disaster preparedness for pediatric patients: How to design a realistic set of drill victims

Authors

  • Shana Ballow, DO
  • Solomon Behar, MD
  • Ilene Claudius, MD
  • Kathleen Stevenson, RN
  • Robert Neches, PhD
  • Jeffrey S. Upperman, MD, FAAP, FACS

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/ajdm.2008.0024

Keywords:

pediatric disaster preparedness, trauma, simulations, pediatric trauma

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this report is to describe an innovative idea for hospital pediatric victim disaster planning.
Design: This is a descriptive manuscript outlining an innovative approach to exercise planning.
Setting: All hospitals.
Patients: In this report, we describe a model set of patients for pediatric disaster simulation.
Results: An epidemiologically based set of mock victims.
Conclusions: We believe that by enhancing pediatric disaster simulation exercises, hospital personnel and decision makers will be better prepared for an actual disaster event involving pediatric victims.

Author Biographies

Shana Ballow, DO

Department of Pediatric Surgery, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.

Solomon Behar, MD

Department of Emergency Medicine, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.

Ilene Claudius, MD

Department of Emergency Medicine, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.

Kathleen Stevenson, RN

Patient Care Services, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.

Robert Neches, PhD

USC Information Sciences Institute, Marina del Rey, California.

Jeffrey S. Upperman, MD, FAAP, FACS

University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine; Department of Pediatric Surgery, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.

References

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Published

05/01/2008

How to Cite

Ballow, DO, S., S. Behar, MD, I. Claudius, MD, K. Stevenson, RN, R. Neches, PhD, and J. S. Upperman, MD, FAAP, FACS. “Hospital-Based Disaster Preparedness for Pediatric Patients: How to Design a Realistic Set of Drill Victims”. American Journal of Disaster Medicine, vol. 3, no. 3, May 2008, pp. 171-80, doi:10.5055/ajdm.2008.0024.

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