Trauma and Burn Surgery at Children’s National treats more than 1,000 infants, children and adolescents each year who are critically injured or severely burned. Our dedicated team of pediatric emergency specialists is committed to providing the highest quality care and treatment to our patients.
Choosing Children’s National for Trauma and Burn Surgery
As the primary pediatric trauma center in the region, we understand how challenging and frightening a visit can be for our patients and their families. Our acute response team of surgeons, nurses and emergency medicine specialists provide immediate intervention when your child arrives at the hospital. We coordinate with specialists in Emergency Medicine to provide a full range of diagnostic services and treatment for acutely ill or injured patients, including trauma surgery.
Highlights of our program include:
- Unparalleled expertise and care. Children’s National is designated Maryland’s out-of-state regional pediatric burn center by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS). This designation recognizes Children’s National as the best equipped hospital to share the volume of Maryland burn patients with Maryland’s in-state pediatric trauma center.
- Level 1 Surgery Verification. We have attained Level 1 Surgery Verification from the American College of Surgeons, a distinction that recognizes surgery centers that have improved surgical quality, prevented complications, reduced costs and saved lives.
- Care within your reach. We accept trauma patients from all geographic areas and serve as the regional referral center for pediatric trauma care. Our partnership with Maryland Shock Trauma System allows us to provide coverage in Montgomery, Prince George's, St. Mary's, Calvert and Charles counties.
- Support services. To support families, continuity of care from admission to discharge through rehabilitation is coordinated by our expert surgical and nursing specialists in trauma and burn care, including experts with the Burn Program and Children's Outpatient Burn Clinic.
- Transport services. When your child needs a medical transport to Children's National, our communications specialists in the Emergency Communication and Information Center work with regional and international Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to provide an ambulance, helicopter or other flight transport to Children's National.
Injury Prevention Education
Beyond emergency care, injury prevention is an important part of our mission. Through research, education and outreach to the public, we aim to teach families and caregivers how to recognize injury risks and create a safe environment.
Founded in 1987 at Children's National, Safe Kids Worldwide is a global network of healthcare providers and organizations dedicated to preventing unintentional injuries, which are the leading cause of death in children in the United States. Many injuries are accidental and preventable, often the result of bicycle crashes, pedestrian accidents, burns, falls and drowning.
In addition to resources and information on the Safe Kids website, we offer a burn education program through the hospital and a series of educational videos that you can watch from the comfort of your own home.
For more information about injury prevention or educational events, contact Cindy Colson, MSN, RN, at 202-476-7754. Courses such as Trauma Update and Trauma Core Curriculum are also offered for healthcare professionals.