| dc.description.abstract | BACKGROUND: Emergency rooms (ERs) play a crucial role in providing immediate medical attention to children in critical situations. These specialized facilities cater specifically to the unique medical needs of young patients, offering specialized care that addresses the complexities of child development and health. ERs are equipped to handle a wide range of emergencies, from minor injuries to life-threatening conditions.
OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to identify the common presenting systemic ailments in the emergency department for children aged below twelve years and the medical outcomes at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital. The study sought to identify the most prevalent injuries and ailments, the cadre of health care personnel who attended to the incoming emergency cases, the barriers to access various services in the emergency room and determine the diagnosis and treatment of the children brought in the emergency room.
METHODS: The study employed a descriptive survey research design, and sampled a total of 36 respondents from the target population. This study used questionnaires and interviews, and afterwards the data was sorted, coded and categorized to enable the information to be easily analyzed statistically and descriptive statistics used to summarize the data. The analysis of the findings was done using the International Business Machines Statistical Package for the Social Sciences[IBM SPSS].
RESULTS: The results are presented using graphs, charts and tables for ease of interpretation. The study found that (52.9%) of the children displayed respiratory symptoms when brought into the emergency room. It was further established that a majority (30.4%) of the children displayed Pneumonia when brought into the emergency room, while (14.1%) had Bronchiolitis. Furthermore, it was also found that (70.5%) of the children did not display any neurological symptoms while (11.9%) of the children who presented neurological symptoms had Meningitis, while (7.9%) had Head Trauma. The study also established that a majority (55.9%) of the children brought into the emergency room were received by Clinical Officers (CO’s). It was further observed that a majority (55.1%) of the respondents said registration was necessary before getting services in the Emergency Room. Additionally, (22.9%) of the respondents stated that payments were necessary in order to access services. Also, it was found that it takes between thirty minutes and sixty minutes before getting services in the Emergency Room (32.2%). The study also found that a majority of the respondents (43.6%) were satisfied by the quality of services that the children received at the pediatric emergency room. The study also found that there was appropriate management of the children brought into the pediatric emergency room (74.4%), while it was also established that monetary constraints (14.5%) were the biggest limitation towards provision of services in the ER. In assessing the services accessed, the study found that laboratory services (30.4%) were the most common service accessed by the children brought in, followed by the immunization center (28.2%). Finally, the study showed that majority of the children brought to the ER did not see an improvement in their condition (64.8%). It was further established that majority of the children had no complications while the children were undergoing treatment, with (9.3%) of the children experiencing delayed interventions and treatments while in ER, and (4.4%) experienced delayed presentation for treatment.
CONCLUSION: There needs to be enhanced public outreach and education of parents on how to identify or prevent their children from illnesses such as Pneumonia and Bronchitis. The hospital registration requirement be waived especially in emergency cases where immediate intervention is crucial in saving the child brought into the ER. The human resource capacity at the ER should be scaled up so as to reduce the waiting times for the children who have been brought in for medical attention and there is need to allocate additional financial resources for address shortage of medical equipment and drugs in the ER. | en_US |
