What is a trauma center?
A trauma center is a hospital with a special team to treat patients with traumatic injury.
What is a traumatic injury?
A traumatic injury is a blunt or penetrating injury that requires immediate medical treatment for the patient to survive. Usually, these injuries are the result of car accidents, pedestrian accidents or falls.
If my child experiences a trauma, what should I do?
Please call 911 immediately if your child needs immediate medical attention safe transport to the hospital. First responders will take your child to the nearest trauma center, which may be CHOC Children’s.
What is required to be a Level II pediatric trauma center, like CHOC?
To be a Level II trauma center, CHOC goes above and beyond to meet the requirements by offering the following:
- Eight board-certified pediatric trauma surgeons, led by trauma medical director Dr. David Gibbs and a trauma-trained pediatric nurse manager.
- Pediatric specialists in anesthesia, cardiothoracic surgery, craniofacial and plastic surgery, emergency, neurosurgery, otolaryngology (ENT) surgery, orthopaedic surgery, pediatric surgery, urology and vascular surgery, available 24 hours a day.
- An award-winning pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) providing intensive and acute care to critically ill surgical and medical pediatric patients.
- State-of-the-art operating rooms for performing immediate or emergency surgery using the latest and safest procedures.
- Support services for patients and their families dealing with a traumatic situation, including psychology services, child life services, social services and our Pediatric Advanced Care Team.
- Additional services in the hospital including a blood bank, radiology and rehabilitation services.
- A commitment to providing education about safety and injury prevention in the community.
