Pediatric/Adolescent Unit
At Salina Regional Health Center's Pediatric Unit we want to make you feel at home in our safe, secure environment — where laughter is welcome, smiles are needed, and tears are okay. We will be by your side to make your stay as comfortable and positive as we can.
Primary Nurse and Role
Your primary nurse is usually the admitting nurse who will sit down with you and discuss your child's plan of care. She will also communicate the plan and your requests to other staff.
Family-Centered Care
Parents are welcome at any time and are encouraged to participate in the child's care. Parents spending the night with their child will be provided with one cot or recliner. Brothers and sisters may visit for short periods if they are in good health and are accompanied by an adult.
Good hand washing is very important at all times and may be accomplished by washing with soap and water or using the hand sanitizer. If your child is in isolation, guidelines will be discussed with you.
We have a refrigerator, microwave and coffee maker available in the parent's lounge/conference room on the unit. You are more than welcome to put food in the refrigerator, however, all we ask is that you please label it with your name and date. Showers are also available for parental use. Towels and washcloths are provided. An ice machine and water machine is available for family and visitors use. Guest trays are available if you do not want to go down to the cafeteria.
Your Child's Safety
At Salina Regional, we take your safety very seriously. Many precautions are in place to ensure that patients and visitors are safe within our hospital.
To help achieve this on the pediatric unit we ask that side rails be up on the crib/bed anytime your child is in the bed. Most of our rooms are equipped with a camera that cycles every 90 seconds and will show a view of the room at the nurse's station. In addition, your child will also have a security bracelet on in addition to the name bracelet. A doctor's order is needed for your child to leave the Pediatric/Adolescent unit.
Vital Signs, Weight and Intake/Output
We try to keep disruptions to a minimum during the night time hours. Temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and oxygen saturation will be taken every four hours. The normal times for taking vital signs are midnight, 4 a.m., 12 p.m., 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Blood pressure will be checked twice daily or as ordered by your doctor. Depending on your child's health problem, we may need to weigh him or her on a daily basis.
What your child eats and drinks (intake) as well as urination and stools (output) are recorded. If you change diapers, please save them so we can measure the output. Please do not flush the toilet of older children as we need to monitor bowel movements.
Music Channel
Soothing music is offered 24 hour a day 7 days a week on Channels 62 and 63.
Doctor Rounding
Your doctor or one of his/her partners will visit daily. Rounding usually occurs in the morning.
Blood Work
Routine lab work ordered by your doctor is done between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. We realize this may be an inconvenience for you and your child. Lab work is done early so the results are available for the doctor to look at when he or she comes to see your child in the morning. There may be other times lab work is ordered, for example, on admission or timed around certain medications.
Going Home
Your doctor will write instructions for you to follow at home when your child is well enough to be discharged from the hospital. Hospital staff will review your doctor's instructions and help you plan for your child's continued recovery at home. Please allow the nurse time to get all the paperwork ready.
Before you leave the hospital, it is important for you to know:
- The medications your child will need to continue taking at home.
- Why your child is taking certain medications.
- The times to take the medications.
- Signs and symptoms of problems that you should report to your doctor.
- Foods your child can eat and foods they should avoid.
- Activities that should be avoided.
- Arrangements made for or instructions received on prescribed medical equipment.
- The date and time of the next doctor's appointment.
Hospital Survey
All inpatients receive a survey in the mail after discharge. Because our goal is to provide excellent care, we would greatly appreciate your time in filling out and returning the survey. Your comments on where we have done well along with areas we could improve help us to provide that care.
Compliments/Concerns
We welcome your input, so if you have any compliments or concerns during your stay, please talk to your primary nurse or any available nursing staff. Additionally you may contact Melinda Schmidt, Director of Women's and Children's Services at 452-6860.
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