Infants and children with heart issues that need to stay in the hospital are cared for in our Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, located in the north wing of the Cherese Mari Laulhere Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Whether recovering from heart surgery, a cardiac catherization, or medical management of heart disease, our cardiothoracic intensive care unit team provides high-quality, family centered, state-of-the-art cardiac care.
Benefits of a Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit
- Dedicated team of physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals specializing in pediatric cardiology to meet the special needs of patients with heart disease.
- Continuous 24-hour monitoring of vital signs by our specialized care team, a nurse is always able to see the patient’s vitals in the uniquely designed CTICU.
- Postoperative recovery and care designed to meet a child’s unique needs.
- Arterial, venous and pulmonary artery catheter monitoring, so a patient’s needs are quickly met and give parents peace of mind that their child’s heart rate and blood pressure are in constantly in normal range.
- Spacious, private rooms with space for a parent to sleep at the bedside on a sleeper sofa.
- Family-centered care – parents are encouraged to participate in daily patient rounds and care.
Our Team
Our team includes specially trained intensive care unit doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses and respiratory care practitioners. We also have dedicated support from social workers, dietitians, pharmacists, physical and occupational therapists and speech (feeding) therapists.
In addition, our subspecialty doctors, such as neurologists or gastroenterologists are available 24/7 as needed for their expertise.
During Your Child’s Stay
Parents are encouraged to listen and participate in daily physician bedside rounds on their child. This gives parents another opportunity to participate in decision-making and make sure that questions are answered. As your child continues to recover, they may stay in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit until ready to go home. Our care team will make arrangements for any treatments or medications that are needed at home, and that all of your questions are answered.