Vandalia Health Mon Preston Memorial Hospital earns Always Ready for Kids emergency medicine recognition

Vandalia Health Mon Preston Memorial Hospital has been recognized as an Always Ready for Kids (ARK) facility, demonstrating its commitment to providing quality emergency care for children and adolescents in Preston County and surrounding communities.

The ARK designation is part of West Virginia’s participation in the national Emergency Medical Services for Children Program (EMSC), which works to ensure that children receive appropriate care during medical and trauma emergencies, regardless of where they live, attend school or travel. The program is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration through the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In West Virginia, the ARK project was developed to meet specific federal performance measures designed to ensure that every hospital emergency department has the proper plans, equipment, policies and trained personnel to care for pediatric patients in emergency situations.

To earn ARK recognition, hospitals must achieve 100% compliance on essential pediatric emergency care elements and at least 70% compliance on additional recommended elements. Compliance is verified through an onsite evaluation conducted by the West Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services and the EMS for Children Advisory Committee.

“This recognition reflects our team’s dedication to ensuring that children in our community receive safe, effective and timely emergency care,” said David Gidley, RN, BSN, Emergency Department Nurse Manager, Vandalia Health Mon Preston Memorial Hospital. “Families can feel confident knowing that when a child comes through our emergency department doors, we have the appropriate equipment, protocols and trained professionals in place to meet their needs.”

“Our ARK designation speaks to the dedication of our entire emergency department team to stay prepared for the unique needs of our pediatric patients,” said Heather Harper, RN, Emergency Department Clinical Nurse Coordinator, Vandalia Health Mon Preston Memorial Hospital.

As an ARK-recognized facility, Mon Preston Memorial Hospital has demonstrated:

• Established plans and protocols for managing pediatric medical and trauma emergencies

• Age-appropriate equipment and supplies readily available in the emergency department

• Ongoing staff education and training focused on pediatric emergency care

• A hospital-wide commitment to continuous improvement in pediatric patient outcomes

The ARK designation also strengthens public confidence in the hospital’s ability to care for its youngest patients and supports recruitment of skilled physicians, nurses and clinical specialists.

“Preparing for pediatric emergencies requires intentional planning and collaboration,” said Melissa Lockwood, Chief Administrative Officer, Vandalia Health Mon Preston Memorial Hospital. “This achievement highlights our commitment to continuous improvement and to providing excellent care close to home for families across our region.”

Mon Preston Memorial Hospital’s participation in the ARK initiative supports West Virginia’s broader goal of becoming a national model for positive treatment outcomes for children experiencing medical or trauma emergencies.

For more information, visit MonHealth.com/Preston-Memorial.