Patient Resources
Your Child's Care Team

The People You’ll Meet - Your Health Care Team

Your child will be cared for by a team of health professionals and other hospital staff. You are an important part of this team. In most units, parents / guardians are welcome to participate in bedside rounds. Ask your nurse when to expect the care team. This is a good time to tell the team about your child and to ask questions. Bedside rounds are an important part of our family-centered care.

Some of the people you may meet during your hospital stay include:
Doctors
  • Attending Doctors
    • Experienced pediatric specialists who lead the team of doctors. They supervise and teach fellows, residents and medical students. Depending on the circumstance, your attending doctor may be a subspecialist (concentrates in a medical specialty), a hospitalist (specializes in general pediatrics) or your child’s community-based primary care physician.
  • Residents / Interns
    • Doctors who have completed medical school and are now training in pediatrics. Residents are the doctors you will see most often. First year residents are called interns. All residents practice under the supervision of attending doctors and fellows.
  • Fellows
    • Doctors who have finished residency and are taking additional training in a subspecialty of pediatrics. Fellows practice under the supervision of attendings.
  • Registered Nurses (RN)
    • Nurses who have graduated from a college level nursing program and have passed a national licensing exam. You will have a registered nurse assigned to your child’s care 24 hours a day.
  • Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRN)
    • Nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists are registered nurses who have completed graduate level education and board certification. They provide care in a specialty area in collaboration with doctors.
  • Care Manager
    • Advocates for and facilitates the coordination of services.
  • Charge Nurse
    • Oversees the nurses on the unit for a particular shift.
  • Clinical Director / Clinical Manager
    • The unit leader for each patient care area. 
  • Respiratory Therapists (RT)
    • Evaluate and treat breathing problems.
  • Occupational Therapists (OT)
    • Help children with coordination needed for fine motor skills and daily tasks, such as writing, feeding and brushing teeth.
  • Physical Therapists (PT)
    • Help children with movements of large muscles needed for activities such as walking, running and jumping by working on muscle strength, endurance, balance and coordination.
  • Speech Pathologists
    • Help children with speech and communication, feeding and swallowing.
  • Child Life Specialists
    • Provide developmentally appropriate toys, activities and education to help ease stress and prepare children and families for medical procedures. Also provide opportunities for children to play, watch movies and celebrate birthdays and holidays.
  • Dietitians and Diet Technicians
    • Coordinate the special diet and nutrition therapy your child may need.
  • Health Unit Coordinators (HUC)
    • Help keep the unit running smoothly. They are a good source of information about the unit.
  • Patient Care Assistants (PCA)
    • Perform basic care services, such as checking temperature and blood pressure, and assisting with feeding and bathing. Respond to call lights. PCAs work under the supervision of nurses and doctors.
  • Patient Escorts
    • Staff who are trained to transport / escort medically stable patients from their room to locations across the medical center for tests and procedures.
  • Pediatric Psychologists
    • Help with patients and their family’s adjustment to being in the hospital, including providing emotional support and other interventions to help with problems such as anxiety about medical care, support with a new diagnosis, behavioral concerns, pain management and more. Psychologists will work closely with other members of the care team to help with the patient’s recovery.
  • Social Workers
    • Available for practical and emotional support. Can help advocate for you, and assist with finding resources in the hospital and when you go home.
  • Students
    • As a teaching hospital, we provide training to students in many healthcare careers, including medical students and nursing students. Students are always closely supervised.

Patient Orientation

Watch a video of insights and tips that will help you and your child understand the hospital and the people you'll meet.
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