Critical Care

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) 

The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) maintains a total of 24 beds and provides comprehensive, state-of-the-art care to critically ill infants, children, and adolescents who require continuous monitoring, complex treatments, and specialized nursing and medical care. The unit is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by in-house pediatric intensivists, as well as multiple pediatric residents, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, highly trained nurses, and respiratory therapists. Private physicians and surgeons work in conjunction with academic pediatric specialists from the Baylor College of Medicine to assure the highest quality of care. Comprehensive and age appropriate care is evidence-based and incorporates new technology, innovation, and research. Patient- and Family-Centered Care are important and embedded into the PICU Standards of Care for all pediatric patients.

Key Diagnoses:

• Respiratory distress/respiratory failure
• Sepsis
• Neurological/Neurosurgery
• Spinal Surgery
• Cardiac – Congenital Heart Disease management and surgical repair
• General pediatric surgery
• Endocrine emergencies
• Hematology/oncology
• Pediatric trauma (Level III)

Specialty Services:

• Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
• Full Therapeutic Apheresis services
• Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) and Peritoneal Dialysis
• High-frequency ventilation

Beacon Award of Excellence – Gold Level (American Association of Critical Care Nurses)

The Beacon Award for Excellence – a significant milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and healthy work environments – recognizes unit caregivers who successfully improve patient outcomes and align practices with AACN’s Healthy Work Environment Standards. Units that earn this three-year, three-level award with a Gold, Silver, or Bronze designation meet national criteria consistent with Magnet Recognition, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, and the National Quality Healthcare Award.

The PICU earned the Gold Beacon Award designation by meeting the following evidence-based criteria:

• Leadership Structures and Systems
• Appropriate Staffing and Staff Engagement
• Effective Communication, Knowledge Management, Learning, and Development
• Evidence-Based Practices and Processes
• Outcome Measurement

Pediatric Intermediate Care (PIMC) Unit

Pediatric Intermediate Care (PIMC) Unit is a 16 bed area which provides ongoing care to pediatric patients who are acutely or chronically ill. Nurses take the lead in coordinating care for patients requiring continuous monitoring and observation with special emphasis given to respiratory, neurological, cardiac, and surgical disorders. Many pediatric patients depend on technological support, notably those with tracheostomies.

Pediatric Transport Services 

The pediatric transport team, comprised of pediatric critical care registered nurses and registered respiratory therapists, is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for transport from referring hospitals and clinics in the surrounding areas. Since the inception in 1990, the pediatric transport team has completed more than 10,000 missions. Modes of transport used to facilitate inter-facility transport include rotary wing, fixed-wing, and/or ground ambulance. In addition to pediatric transport services, The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio provides free physician consultation 24 hours a day, seven days a week across South-Central Texas to provide assistance in pediatric care.

To learn more about our transport services click here.

ECMO Program

The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio is the most active and experienced ECMO center in South Texas since 1989. In 2017, our ECMO program was recognized by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) as a Gold Level  Center of Excellence.  

To learn more about our ECMO Program click here.

Cardiac Services 

The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is staffed by intensive care unit specialists and pediatric intensivists forming a cardiac team within this unit, who focus upon children in the post-operative period following cardiac surgery. In doing so, they provide 24-hour coverage for these children with their sole responsibility being caring for the patients on the cardiac service.

To learn more about our cardiac services click here.

Pediatric Surgical Services

The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio includes a dedicated team of pediatric surgeons in cardiothoracic, general surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedics, otolaryngology, plastic surgery, and urology.

To learn more about our surgery services click here.