Scope of Service
Emergency Services provides initial evaluation stabilization and treatment to pediatric patients seeking unscheduled care at St. Louis Children's Hospital (SLCH) for medical and/or surgical problems, and if indicated, patients are then admitted for further inpatient care. This care is rendered without regard to patient racial, ethnic, diagnosis or financial background. We believe that family-centered care is an essential part of each family’s experience. We collaborate with families to provide the most appropriate level of care for their child. When possible, families are invited to stay with their child during invasive procedures and resuscitation. Patients with problems of pregnancy, acute psychiatric illness, and patients 21 years of age or older (unless followed at SLCH for chronic illnesses) are initially stabilized, if needed, transferred or referred to appropriate care.
Emergency Services is staffed and equipped to handle, as its first priority, life-threatening pediatric problems. Although fully capable of handling routine pediatric problems, the emergency units will, when appropriate, assist patients in finding alternate sources of routine pediatric care in the community and educate the patients on the need to have a designated primary care provider.
The Emergency Unit has been designated a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center by the State of Missouri, and is staffed at all times by physician, nursing and other professional staff trained and experienced in pediatric emergency medicine. The medical director and attending staff are members of the Emergency Medicine Division of the Department of Pediatrics of Washington University, and are trained in pediatric and trauma advanced life support methods. These physicians directly supervise all medical care rendered by pediatric Emergency Medicine residents in training and by pediatric nurse practitioners. All medical and surgical sub-specialty services at SLCH and Washington University are available at all times via consultation with on-call residents who are supervised by faculty in their respective service areas.
Nursing staff is, likewise, trained and experienced in pediatric emergency care. The nursing staff includes a nurse team leader, charge nurses, staff nurses, EMTs and unit secretaries. Continuing education and staff development is coordinated by a full-time clinical nurse specialist. Charge nurses supervise all patient care 24 hours per day.
Community need is assessed and responses planned via participation by EU staff in local Emergency Medical Service medical advisory committees, disaster planning, pre-hospital outreach programs, and protocol development. The Emergency Unit communicates with community pre-hospital providers via HEAR radio, telemetry, and telephone access.
The Emergency Services provides emergency consultation to community health clinics, physicians in private practice, and outlying hospital emergency departments. SLCH Emergency Services is designated pediatric medical control for St. Louis City EMS and is one of two hospital for children in St. Louis City to which all EMS transported pediatric patients are brought for evaluation and treatment. The staff is also involved in statewide programs designed to improve emergency pre-hospital care to children.