Starship Children’s Emergency Department

Public Service, Paediatrics, Emergency

Description

What is a Children’s Emergency Department?

The Starship Children’s Emergency Department is the only dedicated Emergency Department in New Zealand designed to focus exclusively on the needs of children.

We specialise in meeting the needs of acutely ill or injured children and young people. The children and young people seen within the Department, range from birth to their fifteenth birthday from the Auckland region. Some young people over fifteen who are under a specialist paediatric service and also have an acute illness are cared for within the Department.

Children are assessed when they arrive in the Department and the most seriously unwell and injured are seen first.

The Department sees approximately 40,000 children and young people per year.

The Department works within a multidisciplinary framework that includes Māori support workers, Pacific Island support workers, play specialists, social workers and clerical staff who work closely with the nursing and medical teams.

Your child may receive medical care from a clinician either a Doctor or a Nurse Practitioner.

Staff

Medical - there is at least one registrar (trainee specialist) and one house officer in the Department at all times. There is a specialist in the Department from 8am to midnight, 7 days a week, and on-call outside these hours.

Nurse Practitioners - there are Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Specialists in the Department. Nurse Practitioners have undergone advanced training to enable them to manage the care of children presenting with a wide variety of conditions including those with complex medical needs.

Nursing – there are at least five staff nurses on duty at all times, with greater numbers during busy periods.

Clerical - there is 24 hour clerical support.

Support - Kai Atawhai (Māori support workers) and Pacific Island support workers, social workers, play specialists, interpreters are available.

Research

The Children's Emergency Department is actively involved in training and research. Research is conducted in order to improve the medical care of children and young people. We will always discuss with you about any research activity your child could be involved in. Your child’s care will not be affected in any way if you prefer not to be involved in this activity.

Consultants

Dr Anthony Bell

Paediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist
Dr Christine Brabyn

Paediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist
Dr Susie Cunningham

Paediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist
Dr Stuart Dalziel

Paediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist
Dr Khang Gan

Paediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist
Dr Sarah Jamison

Paediatric Emergency Specialist
Dr Jonathan McMillan

Paediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist
Dr Emily Perelini

Paediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist
Dr Karen Quay

Paediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist
Dr Damayanthi Rasanathan

Service Clinical Director, Paediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist
Dr Kylie Salt

Paediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist
Dr Mike Shepherd

Paediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist

Referral Expectations

On arrival at the Children's Emergency Department you/your child will be assessed by a triage nurse so we can estimate how urgently you/your child needs to be seen.

As a Hospital Emergency Department we see the most severely ill and injured children first. This means that children are not necessarily seen in order of arrival. We try to see patients as quickly as possible but there is usually at least a two hour wait to see a clinican.

Children who are waiting will be monitored by nursing staff.

After the initial assessment and treatment, patients may be admitted to the hospital, transferred to another hospital or discharged.

Hours

Children's Emergency Department is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Visiting Hours

The Children's Emergency Department does not have set visiting hours. It is generally most appropriate for children to be accompanied by their immediate family only. It is often necessary to restrict visitor numbers to protect other patients' privacy and to enable treatments to be completed.