Pediatrics

When hospitalization is necessary, we welcome the children and families of our community to our Pediatric Unit, located at our Brunswick Campus.

Our staff wants to help in any way possible during a child’s hospital stay.

• When there are questions or concerns, we ask parents to please speak to their child’s nurse, the team coordinator or charge nurse.
• When not seen in the rooms, these nurses can be reached through the main pediatric nursing station.

Our Pediatric Unit is specially designed to care for children from infancy through 17 years of age.

• Skilled nurses and staff, experienced in the care of infants, children and adolescents, are on duty giving children comforting nursing care and providing the medical care the doctor has ordered.

Hospitalization and medical procedures can be very anxiety provoking for children and may lead to feelings of confusion, fear, and loss of control. Knowing that a positive attitude, awareness level, and comfortable environment can promote positive outcomes, Southeast Georgia Health System now has a child life specialist on staff to ease children’s fears and clear up misconceptions related to health care. The child life specialist is on the Brunswick campus and provides services in the Pediatric Unit, Emergency Care Center, Maternity, OR, Pre-op, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, Radiology and Lab. She also provides staff education and pre-operative tours on the Camden Campus and is available for community presentations in both Glynn and Camden counties. For more information on the Child Life Program at Southeast Georgia Health System, contact Kerry Beth Griffin, R.N., clinical leader, Pediatrics, at 912-466-2434 or email. For information on community presentations, please contact the marketing department at 912-466-2140.

General Information About Our Pediatric Unit

We encourage parents to participate in their child’s care; this helps make the hospital experience more pleasant and less frightening for the child and also helps parents understand and explain what is being done to help the child get well. We ask that a parent stay with their child, especially if an infant, toddler or pre-schooler.

• We need parents to notify the nursing staff whenever a child will be left alone.
• We ask for a phone number where parents can be reached if they are not on the unit.
• To reduce a child’s anxiety when parents are gone, we ask parents to reassure the child, before leaving, by saying when they will return.

Nap and bedtime routines are observed for the children’s health and comfort. Occasionally, medications and treatments are scheduled and needed at specific times. This may require waking a child.

Favorite toys, games, comfort items and own clothing (pajamas) can provide comfort, reassurance and helpful distraction to a sick or frightened child. We encourage parents to bring these to their child.

Safety and security concerns for hospitalized infants and children

We will explain our safety program to parents in detail at admission, including use of special electronic bracelets, alarms and cameras, but here are a few important points:

• Allow only staff with proper hospital picture ID to remove a child from their room for a test, exam or surgery. Parents will accompany them as much as possible.
• Parents accompany their child for walks in the hall or trips to the playroom.
• Parents are to clearly identify with the nurse anyone else they may have coming to sit with a child when they are gone.
• Rails on cribs must be kept up at all times.
• Side rails must be in an upright position at all times when a parent is not directly beside a child.

To avoid exposure to other children with infections, we encourage parents to keep their child in their own room

• For children with upper respiratory infections, fever, diarrhea, or a draining wound, it is very necessary that they stay in their assigned room.
• If siblings visit children on isolation, they must also stay in their assigned room and are not permitted in the playroom.
• Activities will be provided to children in isolation for in room use only.
• This keeps them from passing infections to other children.

Infants are special patients, requiring extra attention and care

• An infant will be fed according to their schedule or as the doctor orders.
• When feeding an infant formula, we ask that parents NEVER prop their infant’s bottle.
• We ask that parents and visitors not attend to any child other than their own.
• If another child on the unit is noticed to be in need of attention or help, we ask that one of our staff be immediately notified.

Accommodations

Each Pediatric Unit patient room is equipped with:

• Phone
• TV & DVD players
  • Televisions should be turned down or off by 8:30 p.m. so children may get the rest needed for a good recovery.
• Remote control/nurse call system

A playroom with age appropriate toys and activities is available for our pediatric patients.

Overnight visitors are limited to one per patient.

• A sleep chair or sofa bed is available in the child’s room.
• The staff will bring in bed linens for the parent spending the night.
• PlayStations are provided for patients over the age of eight in every room.
• Movies and games for PlayStations are also provided.

Children’s meals are served at about 8:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

• A child may need their parents even more at mealtime since parents are familiar with their eating habits.
• Soft drinks, ice cream and juices are available for our pediatric patients, if permitted by their doctor-ordered diets.
• The hospital Cafeteria is located on the first floor.
• It is open to families and visitors from 7 a.m.until 6:45 p.m.
• Parents may bring food for themselves to the room but should not share it with their child unless they know it is a food permitted.

Visiting

Visitors are important to the hospitalized child. They make him/her feel more secure while in an unfamiliar environment. However, for our young patients’ health, treatments and recovery, we ask that you observe the following policies:

• Visiting hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
• We ask parents to help limit their child’s visitors to no more than two at a time
• We also ask that visits be limited to no more than ½ an hour, unless otherwise recommended by the doctor.
• We encourage parents to allow time for their child to rest and sleep after a visit and before more visitors come.
• All visitors should be at least 12 years of age. (An infection control issue)
• Parents need to talk with the nurse or doctor if siblings under this age want to visit.
• A parent or guardian should stay with a young child at all times.
  • We find this really lessens the fears young children have being hospitalized.
    After evening visiting hours end, one family member may remain overnight. This comforts children and promotes a good night’s rest, which is essential for recovery.
• If a child is having surgery, parents may wait in the outpatient surgery waiting room.
  • Someone there will let them know as soon as their child is transported to the recovery room.

Full Visitation Policy

Discharge Home

When the doctor decides that a child may be discharged home, one of our pediatric staff will assist the child and parents as they prepare to leave.

• They will review any special instructions needed to care for a child once home.
• They will give parents any prescriptions the doctor has written and review important information about these medicines.
• They will arrange for someone to accompany the child to the car.

Remember the legal requirements for car safety seats in the state of Georgia.

• We request that parents have the appropriate infant, toddler or child booster safety seat in the vehicle at the time of discharge.

A Few Final Thoughts

We appreciate parents’ help before, during and after a child’s hospitalization.

• We want parents to realize that we are personally and professionally committed to their child and their recovery.
• If you know your child is going to be coming to our unit soon, we recommend getting them prepared through use of the books and DVDs.
• We hope families will not wait until they get home to tell us if there are problems with the care they have experienced on our unit.
• We encourage comments and concerns on the care their child is receiving throughout the hospital stay.
• We welcome any suggestions and desire to correct problems as soon as they occur so the hospital experience can be remembered in a positive way.

Please do not hesitate to contact any of our staff with comments but especially speak to:

• Pediatric Unit Charge Nurse: 912-466-1825
• Pediatric Manager: 912-466-2499
• Director, Women & Childrens: 912-466-4187
• Pediatric Nurses’ Station: 912-466-2448

---

Healthy Partners Articles

Leap for Kids

Read More