MITCHELL, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) According to a recent study by First Focus on Children, 80% of American Emergency Rooms are unprepared for pediatric cases despite having all of the requisite equipment. On average, children make up 20% of ER visits on an annual basis in the United States.
The study found that 25% of child deaths could have been prevented if Emergency Room personnel had pediatric emergency specific training. More than 90% of all ERs in the United States have the proper size and pediatric equipment to handle children’s emergencies but the staffs just haven’t been trained for its use on children.
It is estimated that it would take $207 million to finish equipping and training ER staffs around the country for pediatric emergencies.