Effectiveness of Standardized Pediatric Trauma Management Protocols in Reducing Complications and Mortality in Saudi Emergency Units
Main Article Content
Keywords
Complications, Adherence, Mortality, Standardized Protocols
Abstract
Trauma is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality
among children worldwide, with pediatric patients in Saudi Arabia
frequently affected by road traffic accidents, falls, and other
injuries. Despite the existence of trauma care services, variability
in clinical assessment and management across emergency units
can adversely affect outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the
effectiveness of standardized pediatric trauma management
protocols in reducing complications and mortality, and in
improving care efficiency in Saudi emergency departments. A
retrospective observational study was conducted, analyzing 155
pediatric trauma cases extracted from electronic medical records
across tertiary, secondary, and regional hospitals. Key variables
included age, injury severity score, time to first assessment, time
to definitive care, length of hospital stay, sex, mechanism of
injury, complications, mortality, and protocol adherence.
Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, t-tests, and logistic
regression analyses were performed using SPSS, with significance
set at p < 0.05. Results demonstrated that protocol implementation
was significantly associated with reduced complications and
mortality, shorter times to definitive care, and decreased hospital
length of stay. Moreover, higher adherence to protocols
independently predicted improved survival outcomes. These
findings highlight the critical role of structured trauma
management protocols, alongside staff training and system-level
coordination, in enhancing pediatric trauma care quality and
patient safety in Saudi emergency settings.
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