Pediatric Community

Greetings - Quick question for the group as I've received several recent inquiries about this topic - As able, in addition to weighing children in the ER, are facilities routinely measuring all children from infants on up to the point that you can ask big people how tall they are? is this incorporated into your EMR? In my experience, this was commonly done in the peds ICU setting, especially when various drips were required, however, plus/minus in other ER's. As always, insights truly appreciated!

Scott

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Scott DeBoer RN,MSN,CPEN,EMT-P
Pediatric emergency/transport nurse educator
Co-Founder
Pedi-Ed-Trics Emergency Medical Solutions
Reunion, Florida
888-280-PEDS (7337)
Scott@PediEd.com
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Hi Scott,

I have never routinely measured the height or length of pediatric patients in an Emergency setting.  Critical patients who are unable to stand are measured using a length-based resuscitation tape.  If a certain medication is ordered that requires a height or body surface area calculation, we will ask the patient or family their height or bring them to a wall chart to measure a height to assist with those calculations.  I think those are the only times I can think of.

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Emily Dorosz MSN;RN;CPEN;CPN
Maryland State Council
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Hi Scott,

The only time we're required to measure a height/length on a child in the ED is if we need to calculate a BSA or for a nutrition score in the sense of an abuse/neglect case. The average patient does not get a height/length measured at the time we measure their weight (triage).

If a height is needed it is ordered by a provider (as in the case of abuse/neglect or eating disorders) or as part of a conditional order for things like some types of imaging contrast which requires a BSA.

Hope that helps!

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Elizabeth Leming BSN;BA;CCRN
Clinical Practice Specialist
Children's Minnesota
St Paul MN
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Hi Scott,

Although it is not "mandatory" to measure height for all children, we do have height measurement outlined in our pediatric triage guideline. The reason is, we do need height measurements for cardiac and asthma patients. For cardiac patients, we need the height measurement in case they need an ECHO while in the Pediatric ED--we have a large congenital heart program at our institution, so I know this is not the case at most EDs. I cannot remember off the top of my head why we utilize height for asthmatics-- I will have to check with our Respiratory Therapists, but this has been our practice for quite sometime. 

Hope this helps!

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Ivelisse Sanchez, DNP, APRN, ACCNS-P, CPN, CPEN
CNS-APRN Coordinator, Pediatric Emergency Departments
Advocate Children's Hospital
Oak Lawn & Park Ridge, IL
email: ev_sanz@yahoo.com
email: ivelisse@ecsmediallc.com
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