Pediatric intensive care (PICU)

Care teams in Studer Family Children’s Hospital pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) deliver care for critically ill and injured children.

TRANSFER A PATIENT
Child in the PICU at Studer Family Children’s Hospital in Pensacola, Florida.

Pediatric intensive care at Studer Family Children’s Hospital

For a critically ill child with a severe and life-threatening illness or injury, the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) provides the highest level of care within the hospital. At Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart, our highly experienced critical care doctors, nurses and care teams care for your child’s advanced needs. This may include diagnosis, monitoring and delivery of specialized medications and treatments. Highly skilled and compassionate care teams work 24/7 to deliver care for conditions including:

  • Cancer and blood disorders
  • Chronic illness
  • Congenital heart disease
  • Infections, including meningitis and sepsis
  • Near-drowning
  • Organ failure, including heart, lung, liver and kidney failure
  • Respiratory distress (severe breathing problems)
  • Sepsis (serious infection)
  • Traumatic injury (such as severe head injury)

A multispecialty team dedicated to your child’s care

Newborn baby sleeping in an incubator.If your child is critically ill or injured and receiving care in the PICU, pediatric intensive care specialists (intensivists) are at the center of your child’s care team – coordinating and managing their care with experienced and highly trained nurses and other pediatric specialists. Your child’s pediatric intensivist works closely with other specialists at Studer Family Children’s Hospital, including pediatric respiratory therapists, pediatric surgeons, pediatric heart specialists, pediatric neurologists, pediatric neurosurgeons, pediatric orthopedic surgeons, pediatric rehabilitation specialists, pediatric dietitians and more. Your child’s team of specialists and nurses work together to deliver comprehensive care for your child.

Delivering the most advanced care for serious illness and injury

Advanced care for children with critical illness and injury at Studer Family Children’s Hospital:

  • Level II Pediatric Trauma Center

    As the only Pediatric Trauma Center in Northwest Florida, Studer Family Children’s Hospital delivers advanced trauma care for children across the region with severe illness or injury.

  • Pediatric Surgery Center

    If your child needs surgery, have confidence knowing Studer Family Children’s Hospital is leading pediatric surgery in Northwest Florida. Our pediatric surgeons have the expertise to deliver surgical care for even the tiniest patients.

  • Continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT)

    When your child has a chronic kidney condition or kidney injury, their kidneys do not filter blood the way they should. Dialysis is a treatment that helps do the job of the kidneys. It can help support your child until their kidney function improves or until they have a kidney transplant. For children in the hospital who need continuous dialysis, we work with pediatric nephrologists (kidney doctors) to provide 24/7 dialysis.

  • Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)

    ECMO delivers advanced care for patients with life-threatening lung and heart conditions who are critically ill. ECMO may also be used while a child is waiting for a heart or lung transplant. When other therapies are not working for the patient, this advanced technology is used to temporarily take over the job of the heart and lungs. It provides respiratory support and blood circulation – allowing the lungs and heart to rest while your child is recovering from serious illness or injury.

  • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

    We are the area’s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit – delivering advanced care for premature and sick newborns.

Supportive care for your family

Supportive care is also available to your family. Child life specialists, social workers and chaplains are integral members of our care team. Together, we deliver care that supports your family while your child is in the PICU. Whether you need emotional support, financial support, or a place to stay near your child – we can help connect you with the support and other services your family needs.

Transfer a patient to the PICU at Studer Family Children’s Hospital

Our PICU provides care for children throughout Northwest Florida. Studer Family Children’s Hospital is dedicated to your child’s safety and well-being even before they arrive at our hospital. We have a dedicated pediatric transport team to bring children directly to a higher level of care in the PICU or any of our pediatric departments. Our transport team has the specialized skills and advanced technology to care for children while they are being transported, and they have constant access to the medical teams that will be providing care for your child in the hospital to provide a seamless transition. Our goal is to provide a seamless transition of care.

To transfer a patient to the PICU at Studer Family Children’s Hospital, call 850-416-7090.

Pediatric intensive care (PICU)