It can be frightening whenever kids are in the hospital — maybe
even more so when they're admitted to the pediatric intensive
care unit (PICU). But a basic understanding of the people and
equipment in the PICU can help you feel less scared and better
prepared to help your child recover. What's the PICU? The PICU
is the section of the hospital that provides sick children with
the highest level of medical care. It differs from other parts
of the hospital, like the general medical floors, in that the
PICU allows intensive nursing care and monitoring things like
heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure continuously. The PICU
also allows medical staff to provide therapies that might not be
available in other parts of the hospital. Some of these more
intensive therapies include ventilators (breathing machines) and
certain medications that can be given only under close medical
supervision. Who's Sent to the PICU? Any child who's seriously
ill and needs intensive care and whose medical needs can't be
met on the hosp