Playground injuries in children: a review and Pennsylvania Trauma Center experience.
OBJECTIVE
To describe patient demographics, injury characteristics, and circumstances of playground injuries in children admitted to Pennsylvania trauma centers and to identify injury prevention strategies.


METHODS
Retrospective, descriptive study of 234 children ages 1 to 18 years sustaining playground-related injuries and whose hospital data were entered into the Pennsylvania Trauma Outcome Study.


RESULTS
Most of the injuries occurred between April and September (77%), and noon to 6 P.M. (69%). Falls from playground equipment constituted the highest proportion of incidents (73%). Of 421 injuries (M = 1.8/patient), most were upper extremity (n = 117) and head (n = 110) injuries.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses can advocate for playground safety by teaching children to play safely and recommending age-appropriate equipment and protective surfacing.
Bernardo
L M
LM
School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Gardner
M J
MJ
Seibel
K
K
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010371:Pediatric Nursing; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D010988:Play and Playthings / Q000293:injuries*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011322:Primary Prevention; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017751:Safety Management; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control