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Our nurses are required to become certified in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) within 18 months of their date of hire. Many of our nurses attend the Houston Area Collaborative Critical Care Program for pediatric nurses.
A Team Approach
Our multidisciplinary approach to family-centered care involves the participation of nutritionists, pharmacists, social workers, physical/occupational/speech therapists, child life specialists and case managers. Close collaboration between nurses and physicians enhances the quality of patient care, which focuses on the family as a whole.
We provide sleep rooms, a parent lounge and laundry, and we also allow sibling visitation and extended visiting hours for parents. Child life specialists work with our patients and their families, especially siblings, to assist in coping with the stress of a loved one being hospitalized and critically ill.
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
 Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital is one of only two hospitals in Houston offering ECMO, which is used for newborns and children who are critically ill with respiratory failure.
The ECMO machine functions like a heart-lung bypass machine used in open heart surgery. It uses an artificial lung (membrane) located outside the body (extracorporeal) to put oxygen into the blood. The blood carries the oxygen to body tissues (oxygenation). ECMO can take over the function of the heart and lungs only for a short time.
During treatment, ECMO siphons blood out of the body and pumps it through an artificial lung. In the process, toxic gases such as carbon dioxide are removed and replaced with oxygen. The blood is warmed and pumped back into the body using the same process. While ECMO does not cure heart or lung disease, it allows time for the heart and lungs to rest and heal.
Care Conferences
Family sessions with members of your child’s care team offer parents an opportunity to help plan their child’s care during the hospital stay. Care conferences may be called by any member of a child’s care team, including parents. They can be very helpful for children with multiple care needs.
Visiting Hours
Because we recognize that the family presence is comforting and reassuring to your child, we place minimal restrictions on family visits. Please help us provide the best possible care by following these guidelines:
- All visitors to the PICU must first obtain authorization to visit at the reception desk. Entry is controlled for the safety of your child.
- Two visitors at a time will be admitted.
- If your child’s condition improves, the number of visitors may be increased. This must be arranged by the charge nurse.
- Visitation is limited to your child’s room.
- You may be asked to step out during procedures or tests.
- The PICU is closed during changes of shift from 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Hospital visitation ends at 9 p.m. However, parents and grandparents may remain in the room after this time.
- Visitors staying overnight must obtain a pass from Security, located on the first floor of the Hermann Pavilion.
- If you wish to restrict visitors to your child’s room, please notify your nurse.
Staying Overnight
Parents or guardians are welcome to stay overnight with their child. One adult may sleep in the patient room on the window seat. A limited number of parent sleep rooms are also available after 5 p.m. They are assigned based on availability according to the following guidelines:
- Each family may have one bed in a room that has two twin beds.
- Persons will be assigned to share a room by gender.
- There is a shared bathroom between each suite of two rooms. Please remember to unlock both doors when leaving the bathroom.
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