If your child is ill or injured, we want you to feel comfortable bringing him or her to the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. Our Emergency Department (ED) is fully equipped to handle all kinds of pediatric emergencies, including a variety of injuries and illnesses, in children from birth to age 18. In fact, our hospital has been designated as a Level II Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons. This means that all emergency services and surgical services are available 24/7 for our trauma patients.
Our group of emergency medicine specialists sees more than 45,000 patients per year. The physician team includes 18 attending doctors who are board-certified in both pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine. When your child needs to be evaluated for an urgent problem, these specially trained and experienced doctors will be in charge of your child’s care.
In addition, the Division of Emergency Medicine has six fellows (doctors who are receiving advanced training in pediatric emergency medicine). We also have several advanced practice nurses (APNs) who work alongside doctors to provide care to children in our Fast Track unit. This area, located within the Emergency Department, specializes in the care of children with minor injuries and illnesses and is open 16 hours a day.
All of our doctors are qualified and certified to provide sedation for painful procedures so that your child won’t be uncomfortable during the treatment of conditions such as fractures, abscesses, and certain types of wounds. The most up-to-date methods of sedation are used, and tailored to your child’s specific needs.
The Emergency Department doctors also staff a new Observation Unit that is attached to the main Department. This unit provides close monitoring for children with illnesses that are expected to resolve in less than 24 hours. Not only does this reduce the need to admit your child to the hospital, it also gives parents the peace of mind of knowing their child is being watched during the acute phase of illness.
Our physicians work hand in hand with the highly skilled ED nurses and respiratory therapists during every shift. Other support staff – including social workers, Child Life specialists, and clinical liaisons – also work to make the ED as family-friendly as possible. Social workers are there to lend an empathetic ear, help with resource referrals, and coordinate transportation, if necessary. Child Life specialists help to minimize the stress of your child’s visit and any procedures through play therapy and other coping strategies. Clinical liaisons address parents’ needs and provide updates to families about the stages of their child’s care. Respiratory therapists provide breathing treatments if needed, offer age appropriate education, and perform regular breathing assessments during your child’s visit.
Nemours emergency physicians interact with numerous pediatric specialists from within the hospital. Whether consulting with an orthopedic surgeon about a complex injury or discussing a puzzling infection with our talented Infectious Disease physicians, guidance is just a phone call away.
It’s our goal to partner with your primary care doctor and keep him or her updated about your child’s ED visit. Primary pediatricians are contacted through our state-of-the-art electronic medical record, or by fax or phone, with the details of your visit in order to provide your child with the best continuity of care.
In addition to providing high-quality emergency care, Nemours ED physicians are also actively involved in clinical research, which leads to a better understanding of acute illnesses in children. Because of their expertise, the group’s physicians are frequently invited to lecture regionally and nationally on a broad variety of emergency medicine topics.