title: Pediatric preparedness of Lebanese emergency departments.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pediatric preparedness of Lebanese Emergency Departments (EDs) has not been evaluated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the number, regional location, and characteristics of EDs in Lebanon providing care to children and to describe the staffing, equipment, and support services of these EDs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We surveyed hospitals in Lebanon caring for children in an ED setting between September 2009 and September 2010. The survey was provided in English and Arabic and could be completed in person, by telephone, or on the Web.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 115 EDs that cared for children in Lebanon; 72 (63%) completed the survey, most of which were urban (54%). Ninety-three percent of the EDs had <20,000 total patient visits annually; children (variably defined) accounted for <29% of the patients at 89% of the sites. Physicians caring for children in the EDs had varied medical training; and a pediatrician was "usually involved" in the management of pediatric patients in 95% of the EDs. Only 27% of EDs had attending physicians present 24 h/day to care for children. Half of the hospitals had an intensive care unit that could care for children (48%). Most EDs had endotracheal tubes (95%) and intravenous catheters (90%) in all pediatric sizes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The emergency care of children in Lebanon is provided at numerous hospitals throughout the country, with a wide range of staffing patterns and available support services.
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20010, USA.
authors.forename: Rasha D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Sawaya
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dayan
authors.forename: Martin V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Pusic
authors.forename: Hachem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nasri
authors.forename: Amin A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kazzi
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004865:Equipment and Supplies, Hospital / Q000600:supply & distribution; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007861:Lebanon; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires