Each child who is admitted to the PICU is seen by a physician who has specialty training in pediatrics and who subsequently received additional subspecialty training in pediatric critical care medicine. This type of doctor is known as an intensivist. The intensivist may be the primary manager of your child’s care or may work in concert with other physician specialists, e.g. a neurosurgeon. In either case, the intensivist’s role is to coordinate the care of the many physicians and other specialists who may be involved in your child’s care. The intensivist is available in the Hackensack University Medical Center PICU 24/7.

Our intensivists work with a highly trained group of nurses who have chosen to make intensive care their specialty. These are nurses who after graduation have undergone additional training in providing the many specialized services offered in a PICU. Admission to the PICU allows for more intensive nursing care and monitoring at the bedside. This allows your nurse to frequently re-evaluate your child’s condition and if there are any changes bring them to the attention of the treating physicians.

We are fortunate to have professionals from many disciplines such as respiratory therapy, child life, pharmacy, nutrition, social services and others working closely together as part of an integrated team designed to bring your child back to health as quickly as possible.

Visiting Guidelines

In keeping with a family centered philosophy of care, the PICU has an open visiting policy for parents and guardians. All other visitors can visit from 7AM-10PM. We have the ability to accommodate one parent sleeping at the bedside depending on the child’s condition and space for a second caregiver to sleep outside the PICU.

Children over the age of 12 years old may visit at any time. We ask that children with fevers or coughs or rashes not to visit so as not to potentially spread contagious diseases either to their brother or sister or to other patients in the PICU. Children under 12 may visit with permission of the Nurse Manager and Intensivist on duty.
Live plants and flowers may not be kept at the bedside. If food is brought as gifts, we ask that you keep it sealed so as not to attract insects. Non-latex balloons are acceptable.

Leaving the PICU

As your child’s medical condition improves and intensive care is no longer required, your child may be transferred to the general pediatric floor, oncology unit, or Epilepsy Monitoring Unit for further care by your pediatrician or subspecialist physician. This is a reflection of your child’s improved medical condition and is a positive step. Your child will be able to go to the playroom as his/her condition permits. Each room on our general floors is private and has a full bathroom where your child may shower or bathe as permitted by your physician.