Steinbrenner Children's Emergency and Trauma Center

Pediatric Emergency Care Services in Tampa, FL

Children aren’t just tiny adults, they have unique medical and social needs. In a medical emergency you want the right team of people caring for your child. 

The Steinbrenner Children's Emergency and Trauma Center at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital is a state-certified level II pediatric trauma center as designated by the Florida Department of Health. As the busiest pediatric emergency center (ER) in the region, we have the specialists and resources necessary to provide the highest level of care for our pediatric patients and we offer the latest critical care technology and digital imaging for accurate diagnoses and treatment. 

Our ER is staffed 24/7 by double board-certified pediatric emergency physicians who’ve undergone years of additional training to specialize in treating sick and injured children specifically in this setting.  A variety of pediatric specialists are also available on-site and can see patients in the ER, allowing for much quicker assessment, treatment and admission if necessary. Other specialized support and resources include;  PA's, APRN’s and registered nurses with specialized training in treating pediatric patients, patient support technicians, child life specialists, a pediatric intensive care unit and pediatric cardiac intensive care unit.  

We understand that sick children have emotional needs as well as medical ones. Our ER’s offer dedicated Child Life Specialists who are experts in child development and how children react in health care settings. They work with children to help them deal with the fear and uncertainty of being in the hospital and provide developmentally appropriate activities as a distraction during treatment. They offer support to parents and siblings as well, to help them cope with the situation. 

Emergency Center Features

In addition to our expert staff and sophisticated technology, we’ve created a cheerful, warm atmosphere to make children comfortable and ease their anxiety. Features of our facility include:

• State-certified level II pediatric trauma center
• Privacy and comfort in our private patient rooms 
• Fast track rooms to treat patients with minor emergencies 
• Child-friendly decor
• In-room entertainment system for kids
• Two trauma suites with advanced critical care equipment designed exclusively for pediatric patients and in-room digital imaging
• An isolation room for infectious diseases
• The latest critical care technology and digital imaging
• Double board-certified pediatric emergency medicine physicians
• A large care team specially trained and dedicated to pediatric emergency care
• Child Life Specialists to help children, siblings, and parents cope with being in the hospital
• Specialists from the Children’s Wellness and Safety Center are on-site to help assess the cause of in-home or out-of-home injuries and educate parents, caregivers and children on prevention
• Other support systems including social workers, volunteers, pet therapy and more