Intensive Care

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a state-of-the-art, 41-bed unit. Hospitals with Level-3 NICUs throughout the state refer their most critically ill infants to the NICU at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. More than 700 infants with various health problems are cared for in this unit each year. Their needs range from prematurity to defects needing medical and surgical interventions.

The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is one of the best equipped and staffed units in the Midwest. Nurses, critical care physicians, anesthesiologists, surgeons, respiratory therapists and pharmacists are just a few of the pediatric specialists who staff the 72-bed unit.

Children with heart or lung disease, life-threatening birth defects, severe burns or serious head injury are cared for with state-of-the-art therapies.

In addition, Transport and Physician Referral is an extension of both intensive care units. Whether travelling by ambulance, helicopter or airplane, this highly specialized medical team transports critically ill and injured infants and children from other medical centers to Children's Hospital.

Children's Hospital staff members recognize the importance of the entire family in the care of a sick child. So we encourage parents and families to be involved in the care of their child and 24-hour visitation is offered to parents and grandparents. When not staying at the hospital, families may stay at the Ronald McDonald House located across the street from Children's Hospital.

The Emergency Department/Trauma Center (ED/TC) is the only pediatric trauma center in Wisconsin. It is a Level 1 center that is staffed 24 hours a day by physicians specializing in pediatric and emergency medicine with around-the-clock support available from surgery, anesthesiology, radiology, laboratory, respiratory therapy and pharmacy. Immediate on-call support from the hospital's medical and surgical specialists also is available.

Emergency care at Children's Hospital includes both medical and emotional care, with understanding of the special needs of children and their families in times of crisis.