Paediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians are specialised in providing resuscitative or acute medical care to children who are acutely unwell or injured.

PEM physicians provide acute clinical care to children from neonates to adolescents in emergency departments of both children’s hospitals and non-children’s hospitals. This includes:

  • acute medical care to children. PEM physicians are well rounded in all areas of acute paediatric medicine.
  • resuscitation. PEM physicians lead and manage the resuscitation of acutely unwell or injured children.
  • management of undifferentiated patients. PEM physicians manage undifferentiated patients presenting to an emergency department with acute illness or injury, which may include medical and surgical emergencies.
  • coordinating the management of complex patients, including liaising with subspeciality teams and organising appropriate referrals.

PEM physicians provide leadership and patient-centred care with a focus on communication, decision making, teamwork, and compassion. Key professional behaviours include:

Leadership and management. PEM physicians lead multidisciplinary teams and work in close collaboration with other medical professionals.

Communicating effectively with other healthcare service providers.

Compassionate communication with patients, families, whānau, and/or carers. PEM physicians are compassionate and caring to children and their families, whānau, and/or carers, and possess effective communication skills, especially regarding conveying bad news and in difficult circumstances.

Teaching other healthcare service providers, including other clinicians, nursing staff, allied health professionals, and other professional groups who work with children, particularly within the fields of emergency resuscitation and the management of severely ill or injured children.

Disaster management. PEM physicians can provide assistance as appropriate in disaster management situations

Professional and ethical practice. PEM physicians have a commitment to improving the safety, effectiveness, and experience of emergency health care.

Last modified: Thursday, 27 November 2025, 12:21 PM