What is Known: • Pediatric emergencies are relatively rare in the prehospital setting, but their incidence is higher in helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) compared to ground-based emergency services. | |
What is New: • On average, HEMS doctors in Germany encounter a critically ill or injured child approximately every 1.5 years in their practice, establish an IV or IO access in infants or toddlers every 2 years, and intubate an infant every 46 years. • This low frequency highlights the insufficiency of on-the-job training alone to develop and maintain pediatric skills among HEMS crews. Specific interdisciplinary training for HEMS crews is needed to ensure effective care for critically unwell pediatric patients. |