disease and response to interventions VS abnormalities are sensitive warning signs of deterioration alerting the clinician team to intervene ( Table 7.4 ) TEAM COMPOSITION Ideally, children with critical illness or injury are evaluated and treated by an organized, practiced team of providers The physician team leader directs the overall assessment, interventions, and treatment She or he receives verbal input from resuscitation team members, as well as feedback in the form of data from physiologic monitoring, and laboratory/radiographic findings Members of the resuscitation team may include right and left bedside nurses (RN) or technicians, a respiratory therapist, an RN documenter, and an RN or pharmacist to prepare medications The roles of these providers should be explicitly defined to ensure an organized approach Other physicians/Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners/Physicians’ Assistants assist with physical examination, reassessments, and performance of necessary procedures Child Life Specialists are helpful in distraction and calming techniques for fully conscious patients Social workers or available RNs can accompany the family during the resuscitation and offer emotional support as well as an explanation of resuscitation events A clinical pharmacist is a valuable addition to the resuscitation team, as they can assist with pediatric weight-based dosing The literature has demonstrated that neither parents nor skilled personnel accurately estimate a child’s weight based on appearance Therefore, many EDs use published resources or electronic applications to provide pediatric weight-based doses and recommended equipment size based on the patient’s height/length or weight (see Figure 9.13 , in Chapter Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ) Length of the patient is easily measured, and tapes with precalculated medication doses and resuscitation equipment for various patient lengths have been clinically validated