Health Care Team
In the Heart Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, the health care team caring for you and your child will include:
- Advanced Practice Nurses (also referred to as Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialists)
- Pediatric nurses who have completed advanced training (Master's degree) in the care of children.
- Attending Cardiologists
- A pediatric doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the heart.
- Cardiology Fellow
- A pediatric doctor completing an additional three to four years of training in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.
- Cardiothoracic Surgeon
- A pediatric surgeon with additional specialized training in surgery of the heart, vessels and organs of the chest.
- Chaplains
- Advisors from many religions and faith traditions who are available to you and your child for emotional and spiritual support.
- Child Life Specialist
- A child life specialist has advanced training in child growth and development and is dedicated to helping meet those needs while your child is in the hospital.
- Dietitians / Nutritionists
- Experts in food and nutrition who help keep your child growing and healthy. As members of the team, they make suggestions regarding food and nutrition to meet your child's special needs.
- Health Unit Coordinators (HUC)
- Individuals who greet you as you enter the units. They can be a helpful resource to answer general hospital questions.
- Occupational Therapists (OT)
- Experts in helping patients learn activities of daily living. They are particularly helpful with infant feeding issues.
- Patient Care Assistants (PCA)
- Specially trained support personnel who assist in the care of your child.
- Patient Care Facilitators
- Pediatric nurses who assist the health care team and your family with the coordination of your child's care from admission through discharge.
- Patient-Family Advocates
- Members of the clinic health care team who work with families, patients and the medical staff to help coordinate care in the outpatient clinic.
- Pediatric Nurses
- Registered Nurses (RN) who provide specially focused care to your child.
- Perfusionists
- Trained experts who operate the cardiopulmonary bypass machine (or "pump") during open heart surgery.
- Pharmacists
- Personnel with advanced degrees who provide information about medications to assist the team in caring for your child.
- Physical Therapists (PT)
- Professionals with advanced training who help your child strengthen muscles needed for normal growth and development.
- Resident Physicians
- Doctors who are receiving training in the care of children. They will work closely with your attending cardiologist to care for your child.
- Respiratory Therapists (RT)
- Specially trained members of the health care team who work with babies and children that are having trouble breathing.
- Social Workers
- Members of the health care team who are trained in counseling and support for families.
- Volunteers
- Cincinnati Children's has a group of trained volunteers who comfort babies and children and are also available to provide fun activities.
