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To assess pediatric triage practices in the U.S., researchers mailed surveys to medical directors of 99 pediatric emergency departments (EDs) at U.S. children's hospitals in 2006 (90% responded). The mean annual ED census was 43,880; most EDs saw patients up to age 21 years.
All EDs measured pulse and respiratory rate at triage, 92% measured temperature, 78% measured pain, 60% measured blood pressure, 41% obtained pulse oximetry, and 13% assessed Glasgow Coma Scale score. Methods for measuring temperature varied by ED as well as by patient age; for children younger than 2 years, rectal measurement was most common, followed by axillary and tympanic measurement. A numerical pain scale was used most commonly for children older than 4 years, whi…