Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

In the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) we deliver care for children whose condition or illness requires critical treatments, constant observation and monitoring to meet their health care needs.  Our goal is to provide compassionate and comprehensive care using the latest technology and evidence-based medicine.  The PICU admits >1,600 critically ill children each year with all kinds of medical, surgical and traumatic conditions. The PICU is staffed 24 hours a day by board-certified pediatric intensivists who specialize in the care of critically ill children. Collectively, these physicians have >120 years of experience in pediatric critical care.  Because of the serious medical condition of PICU patients, these physicians are present in the unit 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, together with sub-specialty support as needed.

The Critical Care Team members include:

• Pediatric Critical Care Physicians
• Pediatric Critical Care Fellows (PL-4 or higher)
• Pediatric Residents (PL-2 or PL-3)
• Pediatric Critical Care Nurses
• Pediatric Clinical Pharmacists
• Respiratory Therapists
• Clinical Nutritionists
• Occupational and Physical Therapists
• Child Life Specialists
• Medical Social Workers

We also have 24-hour spiritual care, patient advocacy, translation services and many other services for our patients and families. Occasionally, senior medical students or other subspecialty fellows may be part of the PICU team.

The newly-constructed PICU is located on the 5^th Floor and contains 20 private patient rooms.  Each room is spacious enough to meet the clinical needs of critically ill children and also provides space in for parents and caregivers to spend comfortable, quality time during their child’s stay.  Family-centered care is an integral part of our PICU, therefore each room can accommodate both parents or two caregivers at the bedside 24 hours a day.  It is very comforting for children to know that their family is close by when they are recovering from surgery, trauma, or critical illness.  Family members are invited to participate in daily rounds with the PICU team and contribute to their child’s care plan. 

To provide more room for large groups of family and friends, there is a spacious family area located just outside the clinical area on the same floor.  This room provides a place where families can talk, share a meal, or just relax with others in a large group setting.   

The PICU serves as a regional and national referral center for children who require the most advanced diagnostic and therapeutic services. These include advanced respiratory care technologies (such as: High Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation, Nitric Oxide and Heliox), Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation, Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (or peritoneal and hemodialysis), multi-modal Neuromonitoring, and others.  Le Bonheur is the only hospital in the region recognized as an ECMO Center of Excellence by the International Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO).  Very few hospitals have achieved this advanced level of cardiopulmonary care.