There is no time to pause. But for many hospitals across Southwestern Ontario, the most serious Paediatric emergencies are also the ones teams see least often. That is what makes preparation so important.
With donor support from RBC Foundation, the Paediatric Regional Outreach Program (PROP) is bringing Paediatric simulation training to hospitals across the region. These realistic, hands-on sessions help physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists practise high-pressure emergency scenarios, strengthen teamwork and improve readiness before a real child’s life is on the line.
At Woodstock Hospital, Dr. Erica Cleto says that need is real. Woodstock serves a growing, young community and is seeing more children, including some who need to be stabilized quickly before transfer to London. Yet the hospital does not have an inpatient Paediatric program. For teams there, Paediatric emergencies are intense, high-stakes situations that do not happen often enough to build confidence through repetition alone.
That is why simulation matters.
“Healthy communities are thriving communities, and we can’t achieve this without the support and expertise of dedicated health care workers,” says Tanja Wilkins, RBC Regional Vice President, London St. Thomas. “With Children’s Hospital seeing an increase of nearly 20% in transfers from community hospitals over the past five years, it’s more important than ever to help equip local health care teams with the specialized training they need.”
Even one PROP session gave Woodstock staff valuable practice with Paediatric-specific tools and procedures that feel very different from adult care. Dr. Cleto says those experiences stay with people and come back to them in real resuscitation scenarios.
In Stratford, Dr. Tristan Walker says simulation creates the kind of learning that reading alone cannot. Teams are placed in realistic scenarios where they can learn together and uncover system gaps that might otherwise go unnoticed until a real emergency. One early Paediatric seizure simulation revealed exactly that – including a serious delay in care when nurses had to run down the hall for urgently needed drugs. That insight helped drive a change in the department.
PROP does more than teach clinical skills. It helps hospitals strengthen systems, improve communication and prepare more confidently for the rare but critical moments when a child needs emergency care close to home.
As Dr. Cleto put it, this training is practice for the big game. In small and mid-sized community hospitals across the region, that practice can help improve outcomes for children and families when every second matters.
We thank RBC Foundation for their support of this important program.
Your Support is Helping Hospitals
Prepare for Paediatric Emergencies
Because of donor support PROP is helping hospitals across
Southwestern Ontario prepare for Paediatric emergencies by:
Bringing expert training directly to local hospitals
PROP delivers realistic on-site simulation training using Paediatric mannequins, equipment and mock medications.
Practising high-pressure emergencies
Simulation builds confidence and readiness for critical situations teams may rarely encounter.
Strengthening teamwork and communication
Physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists train together just as they would in real emergencies.
Identifying gaps before lives depend on them
Simulation helps uncover workflow, equipment and medication issues before a real emergency.
Strengthening care closer to home
Your generosity helps children receive faster, more confident care in their local hospital.
To support Paediatric emergencies, consider making a donation today. Your generosity is why Hope Lives here.
