Brenner Children's pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) provides multidisciplinary, specialty care for critically ill infants and children. Each year, patients from throughout northwest North Carolina, southwest Virginia and eastern Tennessee receive exceptional care from the doctors and other health care professionals in Brenner's 11-bed PICU and 7-bed intermediate care unit (PIMC).
Our pediatric intensive care specialists work with a team of more than 120 multidisciplinary pediatric specialists across Brenner to create individualized treatment plans for each child we treat.
We also understand how critical a child's parents are in the recovery process as partners with the health care team. We encourage parents to visit and stay with their children in the PICU and PIMC anytime, day or night. Our team of health care professionals works closely with parents to identify concerns and develop treatment plans. Parents are welcomed on team rounds where we will answer questions and explain the care plan.
To help ensure ongoing outstanding clinical care, our pediatric intensive care unit participates in the Virtual Pediatrics Systems (VPS) database, the largest collaborative database dedicated to improving pediatric critical care quality and outcomes. Brenner consistently has outcomes comparable to or better than peer institutions, including lower than expected mortality relative to severity of illness. It also shows we treat the sickest of patients while achieving excellent care and outcomes. We use this information to inform ongoing process and quality improvements so we can continue the goal of excellence in pediatric critical care.
Clinical Services
The PICU clinicians and other health care professionals at Brenner are experts in the treatment of very sick and injured infants and children with a wide range of health problems, including congenital heart defects, trauma, childhood cancer, severe infections such as sepsis, and other medical emergencies.
Our team is also specially trained to care for children who have had complex operations, including heart, lung, brain, orthopaedic, airway, plastic and reconstructive surgery, as well as kidney transplants.
Your Child's PICU Care Team
The PICU's team of experienced physicians, trained and board certified in both critical care medicine and pediatrics, are recognized as leaders in their field. They treat and care for more than 1,500 critically ill children each year using the latest in technology and medical advancements.
In addition to our PICU physicians, advanced practice providers and nurses, our PICU is made up of a large, multidisciplinary team of health care professionals, all specially trained to care for very sick infants and children. These include residents, respiratory therapists, occupational and physical therapists, social workers, clinical psychologists, pharmacists, child life specialists, nutritionists and radiology technicians. The PICU team works together to formulate plans for the patients' recovery and work for the best outcome possible for critically ill and injured children.
While no one ever wants to require critical care services for their child, if needed, the PICU team at Brenner Children's is committed to providing the best care possible in a compassionate, skillful way. Our goal is to be here to serve our community during what may be the most difficult time in a parent's and child's life. We will be with them each step of the way.
