Heidi,
I am so glad you asked this question because what you are experiencing is exactly what many rural PECCs are navigating right now. First, the PECC role is really going to be facility specific and centered around the needs, pediatric volume, staffing model, and resources of your individual ED. There is not one rigid national job description. A low-volume rural ED will structure this differently than a large pediatric center. The EMS for Children Innovation and Improvement Center provides an excellent generalized overview of the role and its domains here:
https://emscimprovement.center/domains/pecc/
That framework gives you language to bring to leadership, but how it is operationalized should absolutely reflect your facility. Second, this conversation is very timely because last year at the national Emergency Nurses Association General Assembly, resolution GA25-02 was passed. The approved clauses specifically support:
• Designation of a nurse PECC in every ED
• Clear role delineation and protected time for the PECC based on pediatric volume
• Flexibility for rural, low-volume, and resource-limited facilities, including shared role models
• Promotion of nurse-led research demonstrating improved pediatric outcomes
That language is incredibly helpful when speaking with your CEO, CNO, or market leadership because it shows this is nationally endorsed and professionally supported. When approaching leadership, I would suggest:
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Frame it around quality and safety.
Pediatric readiness is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Emergency Physicians. Higher pediatric readiness scores have been associated with improved pediatric outcomes, which ties directly to patient safety, risk reduction, and quality metrics.
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Bring a proposed structure.
Outline what the role realistically includes at your facility:
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Pediatric equipment and policy oversight
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Education and simulation coordination
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Participation in pediatric QI review
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Oversight of the National Pediatric Readiness Project assessment
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Liaison role with EMS and inpatient services
Then clearly state that the time requirement should be aligned with pediatric volume, as supported in the ENA resolution.
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Advocate for protected time.
Even a few hours per month of designated non-clinical time demonstrates organizational commitment and allows the role to function effectively rather than symbolically.
In addition, I will be holding quarterly Virginia ENA EMSC meetings that will serve as a great support resource for PECCs across the state. We just had one last week with strong engagement and discussion. I would be happy to send you the PowerPoint from that meeting if you would like to review it or use portions of it when speaking with your leadership.
Also, under the Resources section on the Virginia ENA website, you will find links to additional pediatric readiness materials and tools that may help you as you build structure at your facility.
You are doing exactly what a strong pediatric champion does by recognizing that this role needs clarity and sustainability!
Best,
Sheena
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Sheena Brannum MSN, RN, CEN, CFRN, CPEN, NREMT
Flight Nurse
Duffield VA
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-12-2026 01:59 PM
From: Heidi Maynard
Subject: PECC - Pediatric Readiness Champion
I was asked last year after our medical director was in the process of completing our first pediatric readiness assessment to be the pediatric readiness champion. I am quickly learning that our system/market does not have a job description/delineated role for this position and that this job/role requires a lot more than I was initially told it would. Due to never doing anything halfway I have done all 9 modules for PECC education and reached out to our market level emergency nursing professional development leaders to acquire more info on how the market is involved in this initiative. I am a charge nurse in a rural community ER and now knowing that it's not a clearly delineated role in our hospital system, I am looking for info to pass onto market leadership and for info to give to my CEO/CNO/Director so that I can have time to perform this role in its entirety outside of my normally scheduled shifts. So if you are a PECC or know your hospital PECC and also work in a staff nurse role, how did you approach your hospital leadership and market leadership to make this initiative known and to gain traction for participation.
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Heidi Maynard
Rn
Sedley VA
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