Preparation for pediatric emergencies in the primary care provider's clinic

Primary care providers' clinics are often accessed as the first responder in a pediatric emergency. In national research, it has been shown that few primary care clinics are adequately prepared to handle a pediatric emergency. This descriptive study was conducted to determine what emergency equipment and drugs are available in Utah pediatric and family practice (FP) clinics to manage a pediatric emergency. The study also describes emergency education courses completed by staff in primary care clinics, access to emergency medical services (EMS), and demographics of clinics in Utah. The survey was developed by the researcher and mailed to randomly selected clinics. Forty rural and 60 urban clinics were surveyed. Twenty-five clinics completed the survey. Analysis of the data indicated that only 5 of 25 (20%) primary care clinics in Utah are prepared to handle a pediatric emergency as determined by equipment, drugs, and education.