The State of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice in Pediatric Fellowship Programs.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) lie at the center of excellent patient care and safety. The way we interact with our pediatric patients and families and develop and discuss treatment plans should all be done under the lens of DEIJ. The foundation of DEIJ begins in medical school and is further honed during general pediatric residency training by ensuring residents are exposed to diverse patient populations. During fellowship training, the focus is shifted to research and scholarly activities for that same population. There is a vast catalog of curricula on DEIJ education for medical schools, some exist for general pediatric residency programs, but there is a lack of such curricula for subspecialty pediatric fellowship programs. In this article, we will address the state of DEIJ education in pediatric fellowship education, make a case for the importance of DEIJ education in pediatric fellowship programs, and provide recommendations to address the gap to include a holistic approach that involves holding departments, program leaders, and individuals accountable for continued medical education. [Pediatr Ann. 2023;52(7):e261-e265.].

A Survey of Restraint Methods for the Safe Transport of Children in Ground Ambulances.

OBJECTIVES: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released draft recommendations in 2010 on the safe transport of children in ground ambulances. The purpose of this study was to assess awareness of these guidelines among emergency medical service (EMS) agencies and to identify implementation barriers. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, anonymous online survey of 911-responding, ground transport EMS agencies in Texas. Demographics, modes of transport based on case scenarios, and barriers to implementation were assessed. RESULTS: Of 62 eligible EMS agencies that took the survey, 35.7% were aware of the NHTSA guidelines, 62.5% agreed they would improve safety, and 41.1% planned to implement them. Seventy-five percent of EMS agencies used the ideal or acceptable alternative to transport children requiring continuous monitoring, and 69.5% chose ideal or acceptable alternatives for children requiring spinal immobilization. The ideal or acceptable alternative was not chosen for children who were not injured or ill (93.2%), ill or injured but not requiring continuous monitoring (53.3%), and situations when multiple patients required transport (57.6%). The main requirements for implementation were provider education, ambulance interior modifications, new guidelines in the EMS agency, and purchase of new equipment. CONCLUSIONS: Few EMS agencies are aware of the NHTSA guidelines on safe transport of children in ground ambulances. Although most agencies appropriately transport children who require monitoring, interventions, or spinal immobilization, they use inappropriate means to transport children in situations with multiple patients, lack of injury or illness, or lack of need for monitoring.