Availability of Pediatric Equipment on Basic and Advanced Life Support Ambulances

Introduction: Assuring that children receive appropriate care at the scene of injury or illness is critical for optimal patient outcomes. Having appropriately sized medical equipment is a key aspect of providing that care. This study looks at the availability of pediatric equipment on basic (BLS) and advanced (ALS) life support ambulances. Methods: Data were gathered by survey or ambulance inspection reports from local emergency medical service (EMS) agencies between December 2006 - February 2007 regarding the availability of pediatric equipment on their ambulances as recommended by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). Results: 9 states and 2 US territories provided data representing 800 BLS and 2,162 ALS ambulances. On average, BLS ambulances carry 92% of recommended pediatric equipment while ALS ambulances carry 90%. Least frequently carried items were backboards and thermal blankets (72% & 83%) for BLS, and nasogastric tubes and monitoring electrodes (60% & 77%) for ALS. Reasons cited for not carrying equipment include lack of funding or not having state/local equipment requirements for specific items. Discussion: The ACEP equipment list is currently under review and revision. Our study results will be used to aid in the revision of an equipment list and development of policy options to ensure that recommendations are appropriate for pediatric patients and responsive to local needs. These results can also be used to address funding and other issues that constrain EMS agencies from procuring pediatric equipment for ambulances so that optimal patient care is not compromised.