Highlights ■ Family presence improves communication and patient comfort during pediatric emergency room care. ■ Overall, 90.2% of companions stayed during care, despite 71% being unaware of the legislation. ■ Of the professionals, 96% allowed companions, with 87% citing comfort for patients. ■ This study supports creating clear protocols for family inclusion during emergencies. ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the perceptions of family companions and the professional team regarding the presence of a family member during emergency and urgent care at […]

OBJECTIVE: To describe and analyze the causes of death in a pediatric secondary-care hospital (run by Médecins sans Frontières), in Monrovia, Liberia, 6 years post-civil war, to determine the quality of care and mortality in a setting with limited resources. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected from March 2009 to October 2009. Patient charts and laboratory records were reviewed to verify cause of death. Additionally, charts of patients aged over 1 month with an infectious cause of death were analyzed for […]