The Ethical Allocation of Resources During a Pediatric Emergency Mass Critical Care Event

Abstract

Emergency mass critical care events have affected children during the H1N1 influenza breakout, the natural disaster in Haiti, and during other disasters in the USA and abroad. Such an event is likely to happen again which has prompted state and federal government and various societies including the American Academy of Pediatrics to develop emergency preparedness plans. The main purpose of these plans is to maximize the survival of pediatric patients affected by such an event. Advance planning which includes surveillance, management of resources, involvement of family members, the use of triage standards of care, and ongoing research shows promise in maximizing the survival of pediatric patients if an event were to occur. In the USA, reports from the H1N1 event and the natural disaster in Haiti have shown that these strategies have the potential to save many lives. The inclusion of these methods in advance planning for an emergency mass critical care event may improve the overall survival rate of pediatric patients.