Studer Family Children’s critical care transport
The Studer Family Children's Hospital critical care transport team connects you and your child to providers and advanced pediatric and neonatal services at Studer Family Children's Hospital. Our transport team provides transportation services in Northwest Florida when your child requires a higher or more specialized level of care. Collaborating with your referring provider and care teams, we work quickly to understand your child’s needs prior to your and your child’s arrival. We are available to transport your child to and from both Studer Family Children's Hospital and Sacred Heart Emerald Coast 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
What to expect
Each transport nurse and respiratory therapist is specially trained in advanced pediatric life support, neonatal resuscitation, advanced life support, advanced airways. If your child is in need of life-saving care while en route, our ambulance, helicopter or airplane are equipped to become a mobile intensive care unit.
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Can I ride in the ambulance, helicopter or airplane with my child?
Yes, in most cases we can take one parent with us, regardless of the mode of transport. In cases where we are transporting your child via helicopter or airplane, the ultimate decision on parents riding with us lies with the pilot. Make sure that you ask the transport team if you are able to accompany your child.
Also, you should consider how you and your child will get home once you are discharged from the hospital.
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Should I go home and get mine or my child’s things before they are transported to Studer’s Family Children’s Hospital?We request that you stay with your child until the transport team arrives. If you are planning on accompanying your child back to Studer’s Family Children’s Hospital with the transport team, please have a friend or family member bring any personal items, if possible. The space available is very limited, particularly in the helicopter or airplane, and you will be limited to a small duffle bag and purse on board.
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Why do all the nurses, respiratory therapists and doctors ask the same questions?One of the ways we ensure that we are making a complete assessment of your child is to have you give us a firsthand account of your child’s illness or injury. We ask many of the same questions so that we have a “check system” to make sure that we are aware of any issues related to your child. If we do not ask something that you feel is important, please let us know.
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What if my child suddenly gets worse while on the way to Studer’s? How will my doctor know?Any change in your child’s condition, big or small, will be communicated to your child’s hospital care team either on the way or once we arrive at Studer Family Children’s Hospital. For critical patients, the transport team is in constant contact with a neonatal or pediatric intensive care unit doctor. Our team has specialized training that allows us to start many therapies en route to stabilize your child’s condition.
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Once at Studer’s, how will I know where my child is?If you accompany your child with the transport team, you will follow them to your child’s room. If you drive to the hospital separately, the team will tell you the unit and room number that your child will be admitted to prior to the team leaving with your child.