PICU
The pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) utilizes specialized treatment and equipment when your child is critically ill. Physicians and nurses in the PICU are specially trained in pediatrics, so they are able to provide your child with high-quality care.
Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in Las Vegas
We understand that having a child in the PICU can be trying, and our compassionate team treats them with empathy.
When your child needs intensive care, you want them in capable hands. At Sunrise Children's Hospital, our multidisciplinary team is dedicated to looking after your little one with critical services, such as physical therapy and surgery.
Expert advice, available 24/7
Free health-related information is just a phone call away. Our nurses help you understand your symptoms, treatment options and procedures. They will also help you find a provider or specialist and schedule an appointment.
Free health-related information is just a phone call away. Our nurses help you understand your symptoms, treatment options and procedures. They will also help you find a provider or specialist and schedule an appointment.
Related specialties
Learn more about our related specialties.
Services and treatments provided in our PICU
Our pediatric specialists offer critical care programs, including cardiology, a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), physical therapy and surgery.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
We offer ECMO for babies and children. This potentially lifesaving technique temporarily takes over for the heart and lungs, allowing your child to rest while their affected organs heal. We might recommend ECMO if your child has respiratory failure, cardiac failure or both due to congenital disabilities, trauma or a severe infection.
Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
Our team cares for the smallest and most vulnerable of babies in our Level III NICU, offering services such as cardiac, surgical and respiratory care. Here, neonatologists treat infants who need an advanced level of care and premature babies born at 38 weeks gestation or younger who develop congenital disabilities.
Pediatric heart program
Our pediatric cardiovascular program places unique focus on children experiencing congenital heart disease, as well as those recovering from heart surgery, in our PICU. Heart surgery can be very invasive and require an intense recovery, particularly with developing children. We make sure to be vigilant and aware throughout the entire surgery, recovery and discharge process.
Additionally, we house a dedicated pediatric and neonatal critical care transport team that can travel by helicopter, fixed wing or ground if your child needs immediate emergency care.
Pediatric cardiac ICU (CICU)
Our 14-bed pediatric CICU is a presurgical and postsurgical unit, complete with a dedicated cardiac operating room and neighboring catheterization lab. Postoperative recovery suites feature spacious, private rooms with bathrooms, making it easy for you to sleep at your child's bedside.
In the CICU, 24/7 in-house pediatric cardiac intensivists offer a large scope of services, including single ventricle, blood conservation and mechanical circulatory support programs. These specialties treat many different heart diseases that require complex support, including congenial and acquired heart disease.
Surgery
Our surgeons expertly treat a wide range of conditions. Recovery from surgical procedures might require a stay in our PICU, where we offer high-quality care, sophisticated pediatric equipment and a trained team of pediatric surgeons, anesthesiologists, surgical nurses and certified nursing assistants (CNAs). Recognizing how emotional this experience can be for parents, we always keep you informed of your child's progress during surgery.
Rehabilitation therapy
We offer in-house physical, occupational and speech rehabilitation therapy services specially designed for children 18 years old and younger. Therapists work with PICU doctors to help your child regain their mobility and skills, all while maintaining crucial parental involvement with you. Working in tandem with family allows your child to have the support they need to work towards positive outcomes and regain their desired level of daily activity.
Family resources
It is natural for you and your child to find a hospital stay challenging. We provide resources to help.
Child life specialists
Our child life services staff have extensive training in child development and are here to help. These specialists focus on the psychosocial needs of your child, collaborating and developing supportive relationships with you and other healthcare professionals. By doing so, we familiarize both you and your child with our hospital environment.
Child life specialists help your child in a variety of ways, including:
- Determining their level of understanding about the hospital experience and correcting any misconceptions
- Helping them develop coping strategies, such as imagery, distraction and relaxation to reduce anxiety
- Preparing them for medical treatments and procedures using teaching tools, special dolls, photographs and medical equipment
When your child has an accurate understanding of what is going on with them and what treatment may look like, they tend to feel less anxious, more open to the experiences of individualized care and have less difficulty at home before and after the procedure.
Accommodations when your child is hospitalized
We want you to feel comfortable sleeping by your child's bed and taking an active role in their care plan. Our team makes doing so easier by giving you access to amenities, including kitchen facilities, showers, lockers and laundry facilities.