Nursing and Equipment Troubleshooting for Special Needs Children in the Emergency Department

As pediatric medicine continues to advance, a growing number of special needs children depend on medical devices for both survival and to lead a more functional life. With this dependence, it is imperative that the emergency care community understand how to best assess these patients and troubleshoot their devices. In this article, we discuss some of the common devices used to assist the special needs patient, their nursing implications, and optimal care. This review will also include guidance for troubleshooting these devices.