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The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Expands Pediatric Intensive Care Unit – Now One of the Largest in the Region
- January 7, 2014
Specially Trained Staff Able to Provide Lifesaving Care to 26 Critically Ill Pediatric Patients
NEW YORK (January 07, 2014) – The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) recently expanded to 26 beds, making it one of the largest PICUs in the region. Staffed by a team of pediatric critical care specialists, more than 1,000 patients from all over the world come to CHAM’s PICU for care each year.
Patients are admitted to the PICU with a range of illnesses from pneumonia and acute renal failure to congenital heart disease and traumatic injuries from accidents. Children recovering from a wide variety of high-risk surgical procedures, including complex cardiac surgery, also are cared for by the nationally recognized, board-certified pediatric intensive care specialists and critical care nurses.
“It is vital that we have capacity to care for pediatric patients with complex medical and surgical needs,” said Peter Semczuk, D.D.S., executive director and vice president of clinical services, Montefiore Medical Center’s Moses Campus. “Our PICU has steadily grown from 14 beds to now being able to care for 26 critically ill patients with dedicated staff, expertise and resources to provide high-quality care for the specialized needs of these children.”
The PICU is staffed with a multidisciplinary team that includes renowned physicians, critical care nurses, nursing attendants, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, nutritionists, social workers, child life specialists and pharmacists.
“The professional and dedicated clinicians in the PICU collaborate closely with one another and practice family-centered care, inviting parents and caregivers to join them during rounds and encouraging family members to ask questions and contribute information,” said Judy Aschner, M.D., physician-in-chief, CHAM and professor of pediatrics, Michael I. Cohen, M.D. University Chair, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.
The unit is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to provide the highest quality care for each child. All rooms are equipped with daybeds for parents, internet access, flat-screen TVs, child-friendly décor and large bay windows with views of the Bronx and New York City.
