OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital Earns Pediatric Ready Recognition

Pediatric Preparedness Standards and Facility Requirements

Children have distinct medical and emotional needs during an emergency. Achieving Pediatric Ready status requires advance preparation across multiple operational areas, including pediatric-focused policies, appropriately sized equipment and supplies, and staff training competencies specific to young patients.

Additional requirements involve patient-safety practices, disaster plans addressing pediatric needs, and ongoing quality-improvement efforts. Cyndole Messer, BSN, RN, ED Clinical Nurse Manager at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, noted that the designation reflects the dedication of the entire emergency department team.

Our nursing staff, medical doctors, and support personnel collaborated to enhance pediatric workflows, engage in training simulations, and assess how we address the specialized requirements of kids and their loved ones. Pediatric Readiness is something we will continue to build upon every day.

Cyndole Messer, BSN, RN, ED Clinical Nurse Manager, OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital

Clinical Training and Cross-Disciplinary Coordination

The recognition process involves coordinated work among emergency physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, support staff, and Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinators. Eligible hospitals participate voluntarily by submitting required materials, completing a structured review, and undergoing an onsite or virtual verification visit.

Brad Raetzke, MD, Assistant Medical Director of the OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital Emergency Department, emphasized that preparation must occur long before a patient arrives.

Delivering top-tier emergency medical treatment to kids demands extensive groundwork well before any young patient walks through the emergency room doors. This designation highlights our dedication to upholding the clinical skills, tools, and education necessary to manage pediatric cases securely and proficiently at all times.

Brad Raetzke, MD, Assistant Medical Director, OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital Emergency Department

Statewide Impact and Three-Year Certification Window

Because most children who require emergency treatment receive that care in community hospital emergency departments, statewide standards help maintain essential personnel, processes, and equipment. Rob Cercek, president of OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, stated that families can feel confident in the facility’s safety measures.

Parents and loved ones can trust that our staff has made deliberate preparations for children before they ever reach Riverside for urgent medical attention. This recognition speaks to our associates’ commitment to safety, teamwork and continuous improvement. Fulfilling this goal also deepens our duty to deliver empathetic support to children and their relatives during their greatest time of need.

Rob Cercek, president, OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital

The criteria behind this achievement stem from nationwide efforts, such as the Joint Policy Statement on Pediatric Readiness in the emergency department and the National Pediatric Readiness Project. Pediatric Ready Recognition remains valid for three years. During this period, Riverside Methodist will continue focusing on pediatric training, equipment evaluation, and quality improvement under the guidance of the Ohio Emergency Medical Services for Children State Partnership Program, which is housed administratively at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and supported by a federal EMSC grant.