Introduction

Abstract

Nurses need to be prepared to respond to disasters any time. Since it is estimated that more than 25% of the population is in the pediatric age range, it is important that all nurses have some competency in the care of pediatric disaster victims, irrespective of their place of work. In a disaster, victims may be transported by police, family-owned private vehicle, or even Uber; so, there is no guarantee that pediatric patients will be transported to health-care facilities designated for pediatric care. In fact, during the Route 91 Harvest Festival incident in Las Vegas, a large number of victims were transported by good samaritans and Uber, who relied on the mobile navigation system on their cellular phones to find the closest hospital. The closest hospital was not a trauma center that victims would be sent to if the same patients were transported by first responders. Almost all of the victims of this mass casualty incident (MCI) were adults.