Pediatric Emergency Department

The Dorothy B. Hersh Pediatric Emergency Department is a 5,200-square-foot state-of-the-art facility that serves the hospital's youngest patients from newborns up to age 18. Saint Peter's provides pediatric emergency care to 22,000 infants, children and young adults annually. Approximately 1,800 of those children are admitted as inpatients for additional care, which necessitates the need for the ED’s fast track area, where patients with non-critical needs are seen by a doctor and treated and released within 90 minutes. By streamlining the care of those patients who are not dealing with a life-threatening condition, the pediatric emergency department staff can better accommodate those children who are gravely ill or injured.
Saint Peter’s pediatric ED includes specially trained pediatric emergency physicians and nurses, including a pediatric triage nurse, on duty 24 hours a day; child-friendly equipment, such as small blood pressure cuffs and fine needles; private rooms; pediatric specialists such as pediatric orthopedic surgeons; and a full-time Child Life specialist.
Specialized Services
Among the special services available in the ED is a dedicated Child Life specialist who attends to the emotional needs of a child and family members during a visit. The Child Life specialist helps the child and family cope with illness, treatments and procedures by using therapeutic play, and offering coping techniques. If a child is admitted from the ED to the hospital, the Child Life specialist works with inpatient staff to smooth the transition.

Award-winning Care
The Dorothy B. Hersh Pediatric Emergency Department at The Children's Hospital at Saint Peter's is the only pediatric emergency department in New Jersey to earn the prestigious Lantern Award from the national Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) for 2022-2025 and 2025-2028. The Lantern Award is a visible symbol of an emergency department’s commitment to quality, safety, a healthy work environment, and innovation in nursing practice and emergency care. In addition to an award-winning pediatric emergency department, Saint Peter’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit earned a Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital has been recognized as a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) by The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES).  Through inclusive training for the entire pediatric staff, The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital aims to create a more positive and therapeutic experience for all patients with autism and sensory disorders, making its pediatric healthcare services more accessible and less intimidating for children with autism. The training focuses on understanding the unique communication styles, sensory sensitivities, and behavioral cues that autistic children may exhibit. By learning how to recognize and respond to these specific needs, the staff can tailor their approach to reduce potential sources of stress for the child. This may involve using clear, direct communication, providing visual supports, offering sensory accommodations, and employing calming techniques when necessary. Some of the techniques incorporated into the hospital’s approach include providing patients with sensory items such as fidget toys for self-regulation, sunglasses for light sensitivities, and sound-cancelling headphones to minimize the impact of auditory stimuli.

In addition to supporting the child, the training also emphasizes the importance of understanding the parent’s perspective. Parents of children with autism often experience heightened anxiety during medical visits, especially when they feel their child’s needs may not be fully understood or met. By ensuring that clinical staff are compassionate and well-versed in the best practices for working with children with autism, the hospital creates an environment where both the child and parent feel heard, respected, and supported.  

Contact
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or get to a hospital immediately.

To contact the Dorothy B. Hersh Pediatric Emergency Department, call 732.937.6009.