The Pediatric Inpatient Care Units care for children who require hospitalization to perform testing and to provide care that cannot be done while your child remains at home. Recognizing that this is a stressful time for child and family, our goal is to provide care to your child in a family centered environment that meets all your needs while incorporating you, the parent, as an equal member of the care team.
Inpatient services units are staffed by highly-skilled professionals who work as a team to provide comprehensive care to children from infancy through young adulthood (up to the 22nd birthday). Our specialists include pediatricians, intensivists, pediatric sub-specialists, registered professional nurses and advanced practice nurses with specialized education in pediatrics and pediatric sub-specialties. As a teaching institution, doctors in training (residents), medical students, and nursing students participate as members of our multi-disciplinary team under the direct supervision of our staff.
Other team members include social workers/discharge planners, child life specialists (including movement, creative arts, music, and pet therapy experts), psychologists, a pediatric pain team, education specialist, nutritionist, pediatric pharmacist, and a dedicated team of support staff all of whom are committed to making your stay in the hospital as stress free as possible.
Specific Units
Inpatient Care units other than the intensive care units (PICU, NICU) include:
General Pediatrics
Children with general pediatric medical or surgical problems such as pneumonia or appendicitis are admitted to our General Inpatient Service. While on the Inpatient Service your child’s care will be coordinated by your general pediatrician if he or she is on staff at HackensackUMC, a dedicated Hospitalist if not, or a surgeon if your child requires surgery. A multidisciplinary team meets daily to discuss all aspects of your child’s care and works to coordinate and communicate that plan with you as well as to answer questions you may have. Non-medical specialists also participate in your child’s care to ensure that your child is as comfortable as possible, that educational needs are met if an extended stay is anticipated and that social and insurance issues are promptly dealt with as they arise. In support of our family-centered care philosophy, all our rooms are private with attached bathroom facilities; we encourage parents/significant other to remain with their child throughout the child’s hospitalization.
Contacts:
Hospitalists:
Stephen Percy, Jr., M.D., MBA, FAAP
Dr. Steven Eagle, MD
Nurse Manager:
Diane Ohme, RN, MSN, BC
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Children with cancer and serious blood disorders who require hospitalization are diagnosed and treated in a dedicated inpatient unit where specialists in these disorders work seamlessly together to ensure the best possible outcome for your child. The multidisciplinary team is comprised of physician specialists, advanced practice nurses, and highly trained professional nurses, social workers, child life specialist, and case managers working together throughout the entire course of treatment through cure and beyond. The inpatient unit is comprised of private rooms where family-centered care is the hallmark.
Contacts:
Michael Harris, M.D.
Advanced Practice Nurse:
Ellen Mass, RN, APN, APON
Nurse Manager:
Diane Ohme, RN, MSN, BC
Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant
HackensackUMC provides the only Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation program in the State of New Jersey. The Transplant program works collaboratively with the Hematology/Oncology service and patients receiving a bone marrow transplant are cared for on the same dedicated Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant Unit.
Contacts:
Alfred Gillio, M.D.
Jennifer Krajewski, M.D.
Advanced Practice Nurses:
Nancy Polifroni, RN, APN
Nancy Durning, RN, APN
Nurse Manager:
Diane Ohme, RN, MSN, BC
Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU)
Children with seizure disorders or suspected seizures are admitted to a unit dedicated to management of these conditions. The unit is staffed by highly trained professional nurses skilled in managing children with these disorders. Because many children are admitted for prolonged stays, support personnel work closely with the family to support your child. The unit allows for continuous monitoring of brain wave activity under video surveillance with interpretation by specialists in neurology and epilepsy. As with other areas of the children’s hospital, all private rooms with bathroom facilities are designed to ease the stress of hospitalization to every extent possible.
Contacts:
Marcello Lancman, M.D.
Nurse Manager:
Diane Ohme, RN, MSN, BC
Family Accommodations
We are aware that spending any amount of time - one day, one week, or a month in a hospital setting - is stressful and disruptive. In an effort to provide some comfort, we provide sleeping accommodations for one visitor, a café for dining , accommodations for multicultural and religious practices, encouragement of sibling visitation, web service for computer access for patients and parents, fully equipped age-appropriate playrooms, and a TV/VCR/video game service, in addition to many other accommodations. We want our guests to be as comfortable as possible while receiving the highest quality care.