There are gaps in pediatric emergency departments' pandemic preparedness, according to a study in Academic Emergency Medicine.
Researchers interviewed pediatric ED leaders from across the U.S. regarding planning and responses to the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. Five general themes emerged from these interviews, according to the study:
1. National pandemic influenza preparedness guidance has not fully penetrated to the level of pediatric emergency physician leaders, leading to variable states of preparedness.
2. Pediatric EDs that maintained strong relationships with local public health and other healthcare entities found those relationships to be beneficial to pandemic response.
3. Pediatric emergency physician leaders reported difficulty reconciling public health guidance with the reality of ED practice.
4. Although many anticipated obstacles did not materialize, in some cases pediatric emergency physician leaders experienced unexpected institutional challenges.
5. Pediatric emergency physician leaders described varied experiences with organizational learning following the H1N1 pandemic experience.
The authors conclude, "This work suggests that raising awareness of pandemic planning standards and promoting strategies to overcome barriers to their adoption could enhance ED and hospital preparedness. Helping hospitals better prepare for pandemic events may lead to strengthened all-hazards preparedness."
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Researchers interviewed pediatric ED leaders from across the U.S. regarding planning and responses to the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. Five general themes emerged from these interviews, according to the study:
1. National pandemic influenza preparedness guidance has not fully penetrated to the level of pediatric emergency physician leaders, leading to variable states of preparedness.
2. Pediatric EDs that maintained strong relationships with local public health and other healthcare entities found those relationships to be beneficial to pandemic response.
3. Pediatric emergency physician leaders reported difficulty reconciling public health guidance with the reality of ED practice.
4. Although many anticipated obstacles did not materialize, in some cases pediatric emergency physician leaders experienced unexpected institutional challenges.
5. Pediatric emergency physician leaders described varied experiences with organizational learning following the H1N1 pandemic experience.
The authors conclude, "This work suggests that raising awareness of pandemic planning standards and promoting strategies to overcome barriers to their adoption could enhance ED and hospital preparedness. Helping hospitals better prepare for pandemic events may lead to strengthened all-hazards preparedness."
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