When your child experiences a medical emergency, you want to ensure they receive the best care possible while feeling as comfortable as possible. That’s the thought behind the two new children’s ambulances added to RWJBarnabas Health’s fleet, which were explicitly designed to give pediatric patients everything they need during transport. From the right specialty staff on-board, to child-focused TVs and stuffed animals to squeeze, these new vehicles are designed with children and families in mind. NJMOM got an inside look at these new additions and spoke with RWJBarnabas Health’s pediatric transport specialists to find out how these ambulances are making a meaningful difference to families across New Jersey. (featured photo credit: RWJBarnabas Health)
These two new RWJBarnabas Health ambulances are Specialty Care Transport Units
When a child needs to be transported to get the care they need, it’s often a stressful and difficult time for a family. RWJBarnabas Health’s two new ambulances are specialty care transport units, which means they’re used to bring kids from one health care facility to another- often for a higher level of care during a medical event. It could be a life-saving emergency or a broken bone. The units are staffed by nurses, EMTs, respiratory therapists, and doctors if needed, and can accommodate children of all ages, including neonatology patients as young as newborns.
“We’re being very thoughtful about trying to serve the kids of the state. Increasingly, we are doing remarkable things in medicine, but to be able to do that, we have to reach a child in need. It’s crucial to get the child to the right facility and get them there in a timely fashion,” says Dr. Fernando Ferrer, Chief Pediatric Officer, RWJBarnabas Health.
For the RWJBarnabas Health Pediatric Transport team, alleviating the tension of a situation is often just as crucial as the exceptional medical care they provide. “We recognize this is a very stressful situation for everyone. So we focus on holistic care- not only taking care of their medical needs but taking care of the emotional needs of the patient and the family,” says Dr. Steven Horowitz, Medical Director of Pediatric Transport for RWJBarnabas Health. “By being holistically focused, we concentrate on the small details. Maybe it’s something like putting on the child’s favorite video or giving them a stuffed animal. Sometimes, just hugging a parent is all that’s needed. Those little extra things that we do decrease tension in the situation, especially when people are stressed.”
Games, plushies, and special touches
The new ambulances were built with all of the state-of-the-art medical equipment a family would want for their child. But there are also other little touches- more personal additions that went into the design. And those are what the kids often notice and appreciate the most. “We built the vehicles with a TV system with Nintendo Switch, iPads, and games for kids of different ages. The distraction takes the focus off what’s happening, helps with pain management, and relieves stress for the family,” says Sherry Calvert, RN, Assistant Director of Pediatric Transport for RWJBarnabas Health. The staff also has a crew of stuffed animals and plush toys that are more than something soft and comforting to hold—nurses will even sometimes go as far as to bandage up or put an IV into a stuffie to help a child who’s afraid or having a hard time. “The idea is to show them that it isn’t scary. Look, Darth Vader (the stuffie) can do it, you can do it!” Calvert adds.
A key partnership with Rutgers Health
For the RWJBarnabas Health system, the new fleet additions are just the latest in its continual development and commitment to serving kids across our state, including the partnership with Rutgers Health. “The partnership is a remarkable collaboration and it’s a tremendous opportunity to bring kids in New Jersey the best care available in this country,” says Dr. Steven Horowitz, Medical Director of Pediatric Transport for RWJBarnabas Health. And it’s also how RWJBarnabas Health is putting families first in all aspects of care.
For more information on RWJBarnabas Health’s pediatric care, please visit their website or follow along on Instagram.
