Pediatric Service

Inpatient Units

A 27-bed Pediatric Ward, and a newly expanded 20-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Step Down Unit provide the framework for inpatient pediatrics, from general pediatric inpatient care for local patients to intensive care for patients sent from throughout West Virginia and surrounding states.

The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit is available for all pediatric patients needing hemodynamic monitoring or ventilatory support. The unit is staffed by 4 full time intensivists, and is kept busy with 150 pediatric heart operations per year, as well as other medical and surgical pediatric patients needing intensive care.

All pediatric patients are under the care of the house staff and attending pediatric faculty. The residents on the inpatient services are under the direct supervision of a hospitalist who is a full time faculty member. The ward teams consist of two upper level pediatric residents, two interns, one to two fourth-year subinterns, and four to five third-year medical students. While most IVs and blood draws are performed by nursing and ancillary personnel, residents get first shot at all other procedures.

The 39-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has eight critical care beds and 1 step down bed. We are currently in the process of expanding and enlarging the NICU to accommodate the growing needs of the community. An average of 650 high risk premature infants are admitted each year. In addition, approximately 1,500 normal newborns per year. Four full time neonatology faculty supervise and teach residents in the care and management of premature and critically ill newborns. The NICU is staffed by a senior level pediatric resident, one to two interns, and a team of neonatal nurse practitioners who also supply the expertise for transport of sick neonates.

Ambulatory Pediatric Training

The pediatric resident is exposed to all aspects of ambulatory care in Pediatric and Adolescent Group Practice (PAGP), the Pediatric Specialty Clinics, and the Emergency Department.

The Pediatric Continuity Clinic program offers the resident the opportunity to provide continuity of care on a personal basis. As an integral part of their education in General Pediatrics, residents throughout their training have a continuity clinic. Each resident spends one-half day every week following healthy and chronically ill children. Residents are identified as the primary care physician for their patients and participate in as much of their pediatric care as possible. By providing ongoing health care to many children, each resident can learn the rewards and responsibilities of pediatric practice. While continuity clinics usually take place in PAGP, there is the possibility of having continuity clinic at a rural site, a nearby private office, or at one of our satellite faculty clinics.

Pediatric residents gain first-hand experience with pediatric emergencies through the Emergency Department. All West Virginia University Hospital residents spend a month in the Emergency Department. Consultative care for children seen in the Emergency Department occurs on a regular basis at the request of the ED staff. Patient care is reviewed by full time pediatric faculty. When follow-up care is indicated, the resident can arrange to see the patient in Pediatric Continuity Clinic, which results in the family establishing an ongoing relationship with the resident. The goal is to provide regular well child care for the patient whose previous medical care was only episodic. A second Emergency Department rotation offered to upper level pediatric residents is geared specifically toward maximizing the pediatric experience, including additional experience in splinting and suturing.

On Call

Modifications have been made to the inpatient experience in order to comply with July 2011 ACGME duty hour requirements. Pediatric interns no longer take call. The interns do approximately 5 weeknight shifts and 2 weekend night shifts per month while on general pediatric inpatient services. Night shifts are 12-14 hours in length. There is also night shift coverage provided by PL2 and PL3 residents on the general pediatric inpatient services. PL2 and PL3 residents continue to provide weekend on call coverage approximately one day per week. Individual pediatric on-call rooms are available. Moonlighting opportunities are not available. Interns provide day shift coverage of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Nighttime coverage is provided by PL 2's and PL 3's in the form of night shift work and weekend call. PL2 and PL3 residents also provide limited backup call on elective rotations.