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NEWS RELEASES
HOUSTON (May 23,
2007) – This week is National Emergency Medical
Services (EMS) Week and as emergency responders are recognized, one
physician takes his commitment to patient care to those who need it
the most – the men and women on the front line of emergency care.
Texas Children’s Hospital physicians are highly regarded for their
pediatric expertise. With this in mind, the city of Houston turned
to Texas Children’s Hospital to provide pediatric training to
emergency responders.
Leading the
effort to provide the most current pediatric training and protocol
is Dr.
Paul Sirbaugh, Texas Children’s director of prehospital medicine
who also serves as assistant medical director of prehospital
pediatric emergency medicine for the city of Houston EMS.
Houston provides some
of the finest prehospital pediatric care in the nation, Sirbaugh
said, in large part because of the commitment of the Houston Fire
Department to pediatric training.
“Houston offers an
amazing combination of experience, education and training,” he said.
“Emergency responders here know what to look for on the way to the
hospital and are trained to give a certain amount of care before
reaching the hospital. It’s this extra step in care that makes the
difference.”
Children represent a
special challenge for emergency care providers because they have
unique medical needs in comparison to adults. Caring for children
requires different practices and often times require specialized
equipment. There are many sizes of pediatric medical equipment as
compared to only one adult size.
Pediatric training
teaches emergency responders to recognize illnesses or conditions
that are critical to saving a child’s life, such as respiratory
rates, blood pressure, heart rates and body temperature.
“Recognizing and responding to these conditions as early as possible
is key to successfully treating the smallest of patients,” said
Sirbaugh. Responders must also understand the critical importance of
parental influences. They must respond to parents’ reactions to
their child’s condition and recognize how those reactions may
influence the child’s overall response to their care.
Understanding the
impact this instruction has on the overall outcome of pediatric
emergency response, two emergency care doctors have been added to
the staff of Texas Children’s Hospital, allowing the opportunity to
extend prehospital pediatric emergency training to the communities
surrounding Houston. Texas Children’s, in conjunction with the
Houston Fire Department, provides this ongoing pediatric training in
the classroom and the hospital.
“When minutes count,
it is vital for responders to be equipped with the most current
pediatric information and have access to expert consultation in the
field,” he added. “Texas Children’s Hospital and the Houston Fire
Department value the significance of specialized training and are
truly committed to the welfare of our community’s children.”
Additional
Resources:
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Texas Children's
Emergency Center
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About Texas Children’s Hospital
Texas Children's Hospital one of the top pediatric
organizations in the world, is in the midst of a $1.5 billion
investment. Aptly titled Vision
2010 - Excellence to Eminence, this is the largest
short-term investment ever by a single children's hospital
anywhere in the world. Major projects, which are scheduled for
completion by 2010, include the creation of a comprehensive
neurological research institute, the formation of a maternity
center, expansion of existing research facilities and the
development of one of the largest pediatric hospitals in a
suburban setting. To learn more about Vision 2010, visit
http://www.tchvision2010.org.
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