Frequently Asked Questions

Questions from Families

• Can I ride in the ambulance with my child?
  We will make every effort to accommodate one parent in the front of the ambulance. However, there may be situations when this is not possible. Therefore, families should always arrange for alternate transportation to Hasbro Children's Hospital. For safety reasons, parents may not ride in the back of the ambulance.
• How do I get to Hasbro Children's Hospital?
  Get directions, maps and parking information.
• Where will my child be going once they arrive at Hasbro Children's?
  Your child will be admitted to a condition- and age-appropriate ward at Hasbro Children's. The members of the transport team will be able to direct you to the proper floor.
• Can I stay with my child in the hospital?
  Absolutely! Parents may stay with their child 24 hours a day.
  Find out more about hospital accommodations and services.
• How will my primary doctor know we are at Hasbro?
  Your doctor at Hasbro Children's Hospital will contact your primary physician, notify them of the admission, and provide them with all of the pertinent information about your child.

Questions from Health Care Providers

• How do I arrange a pediatric transport?
  Simply call our dedicated Transport Hotline at 401-444-6600. We will take it from there. At this time, the pediatric transport team does not transport pediatric trauma patients. For these patients, please call the Hasbro Children's pediatric emergency department at 401-444-4900.
• What information should I have available before I call the Transport Hotline?
  We will immediately need your name, institution and phone number, as well as the patient's name, date of birth, weight, most recent, complete set of vital signs, and focused history and physical exam information.
• Who will come to retrieve the patient?
  The transport team typically includes a senior pediatric or emergency medicine resident, a critical care transport nurse, two emergency medicine technicians, and a pediatric respiratory therapist if the patient's condition warrants. All of our personnel receive special training for transport medicine. More about the team
• Is anyone available to assist with the patient management until the team arrives?
  Yes. The pediatric critical care attending is available 24 hours a day to provide consultative services and to assist with patient management.
• What should I do to prepare the patient for transport before the team arrives?
  Please use this checklist to help prepare the patient for transport before our arrival.
• How long will it take the team to arrive?
  Our goal is to depart Hasbro Children's Hospital within 30 minutes of receiving your call. The actual travel time will depend upon many factors beyond our control, such as traffic, weather and driving distance. Although we recognize that minutes can seem like hours, we really do try to get there as fast as possible!
• Wouldn't it be faster to send the patient to you via EMS, without the pediatric transport team?
  Although this might seem to be the case, our highest priority is to provide the patient with the safest, not necessarily the fastest, transit to Hasbro. Critically ill patients may not be transported without a physician in attendance. Certain patients, who require admission to the general inpatient wards, and are medically stable, may be appropriately transferred via EMS. This decision MUST be made in consultation with the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) attending physician.
• Should we send the patient by helicopter?
  In general, ground transport is a simpler, safer means of transport than air. However, there may be some circumstances where helicopter transfer may be a good option. The PICU attending is available to assist you with that decision; however, should you choose to use helicopter services, you are responsible for making those arrangements, as we cannot do that for you.
• Can parents ride in the ambulance with their child?
  We will make every effort to accommodate one parent in the front of the ambulance. However, there may be situations when this is not possible. Therefore, families should always arrange for alternate transportation to Hasbro Children's Hospital. For safety reasons, parents may not ride in the back of the ambulance.

Pediatric Transport Service