Pediatric Trauma Program

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in 2020 US Emergency Departments treated just over 4 million children, ages 0-18 years, with nonfatal injuries.  The top 5 causes for these visits in order of volumes are: Unintentional fall, Unintentional Struck By/Against, Unintentional Cut/Pierce, Unintentional Overexertion, and Unintentional Motor Vehicle Occupant.  When shifting to the leading causes of death ages 1 – 18 years in 2020, the CDC identified that unintentional injury (5,865 deaths), homicide (2,209 deaths), and suicide (2,177) resulted in more deaths than all other causes combined. 

The goal of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt’s Pediatric Trauma Program is to provide optimal care between the time of injury and discharge. The trauma team provides expertly coordinated care that focuses not just on the treatment of the injury but also on the emotional needs of the patient and family.

Our Trauma Program’s mission:

• The Trauma Program is dedicated to excellence in trauma patient care, family integration, data management, performance improvement, injury prevention, education, advocacy, and research focusing on improving our service and accountability to all individuals and the communities that we serve. By our actions, we will define the trauma standards of excellence.

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt is verified as a Pediatric Level I Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and is the only Pediatric Trauma Center within 150 miles of Nashville.  Routinely inspected by the ACS, our verified Pediatric Level I Trauma Center is committed to providing the highest quality trauma care for all injured patients.  The ACS verification is important for the consumer because it ensures that a hospital with a Level I status not only has the resources necessary to treat severe injuries, but also can provide an entire spectrum of care to address the needs of the patients and necessary psychological and social support for relatives and siblings, all impacted by a profound trauma in the family. 

As an ACS verified Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, we can provide seamless care for all varieties of injury types with additional specialty needs outside of our Trauma Service.