Patient Care Units & Departments

Ambulatory Units

Dialysis Unit

Nicklaus Children's Hospital Dialysis Unit in collaboration with Children's Hospital Association (CHA), provides specialized modalities for the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) pediatric population throughout South Florida. As part of Outpatient Center Services, the Dialysis Unit works closely with other health care facilities for pre and post-transplant work-up and treatment. It has 5 stations equipped to care for 30 patients a week on an outpatient basis.

The unit also provides acute services to adjacent units; PICU, NICU, CICU, and 3NE respectively. The advanced modalities of continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF), Peritoneal Dialysis, and Hemodialysis are implemented with specific attention to the individual needs of the patient in acute renal failure. The care team is comprised of highly trained and experienced nephrologists, dietitians, social workers, child life specialists, patient representatives and hospital chaplain who provide 24 hour on-call services 365 days a year.

In addition, the dialysis unit also serves the needs of those end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients receiving Peritoneal Dialysis home therapy. The team educates the patient and family prior to discharge on all facets of peritoneal dialysis specific to care and management in the home environment. Interprofessional daily rounds serve the team to address, plan and discuss dialysis prescription, renal osteodystrophy, anemia, lab adequacy, nutrition, access management, clinical status, medications, social services, and spiritual counseling.

The dialysis unit values research, preventative maintenance and education. Continued ESRD education is provided to nurses working on and in adjacent units to ensure knowledge and hands on skills competency.

Infusion Unit

The Infusion Unit is comprised of 18 beds and infusion chairs. This unit is designed to meet the short-term infusion and transfusion needs of children, adolescents and young adults on an outpatient basis. This specialized unit serves over ten medical specialties for scheduled procedures, transfusions, chemotherapy and other infusion therapies. This outpatient area gives patients access to televisions, games, entertainment and meal options while receiving their medical treatment. Play and age-appropriate activities are integrated into the unit to help keep patients entertained.

Critical Care Units

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Nicklaus Children's Hospital's 40-bed Pediatric Intensive Care unit (PICU) has the most sophisticated and extensive pediatric intensive care technology and experience available. The PICU is a multidisciplinary unit that provides high quality care to infants, children and adolescents who become critically ill. Our PICU, located in the new Advanced Pediatric Care Pavilion which spans over six stories and 213,000 square feet provides an enhanced care environment for our patient population. The PICU consistently outperforms national averages in both national outcomes and length of patient stays.

The medical staff includes pediatric intensivists, pediatric intensive care fellows, and pediatric residents. The unit maintains a 1:2 nurse/patient ratio to ensure safe, optimal and personal care.

The PICU is home to the state's first and largest pediatric and neonatal Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) resource for children with life-threatening heart and lung conditions. It is also one of three pediatric apheresis blood treatment centers in the state. PICU is proud to hold the prestigious AACN Beacon Gold award.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

The 37-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) provides care for babies who are born early. It includes 30 designated Level III beds and 7 designated level II beds. Our Level III nurse/patient ratio is 1:1 or 1:2 depending on the level of care required by the patient. The Level II nurse/patient ratio is 1:3 or 1:4. The unit is capable of invasive and non-invasive monitoring of the neonate's cardiorespiratory systems and can provide oxygen, suction and age appropriate thermoregulation. In addition, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation are monitored continuously.

Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

Nicklaus Children's Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) is one of the few pediatric CICUs in the nation. The unit provides highly specialized pre- and post-operative care for children undergoing cardiac surgery and interventional catheterization. The latest equipment and a multidisciplinary team ensure the finest care for pediatric cardiac patients. Innovative therapies available in the pediatric CICU include nitric oxide (an inhaled medication used to relax blood vessels), new inotropic agents, mechanical cardiac assist technology, and a computerized data collection and storage system providing an integrated database for management of patients with complex lesions.

Emergency Department

Emergency Room

The Emergency Department (ED) at Nicklaus Children's Hospital provides care for nearly 80,000 children annually and serves as a regional Pediatric Trauma Center. The ED includes a state-of-the-art Triage Center, an outdoor play area for siblings and a raised helipad. The Emergency Department offers one of the shortest emergency room waiting times in country. The department achieves this success through continuous evaluation of services and processes, and a commitment to implementing changes that enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Urgent Care Centers

Nicklaus Children's Urgent Care Centers are strategically located in Miami- Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. The centers provide medical care for minor injuries and illnesses. These fast-paced centers are accessible to the community 365 days a year. X-ray services are provided at all Urgent Care Center locations. Ultrasound and MRI services are available at select centers. For information about hours of operation or to schedule diagnostic services, please call 305-663-8413 or toll-free 877-624-8413.

Inpatient Units

Pediatric Surgical Unit/Orthopedic (3 North)

This 26-bed surgical/orthopedic unit provides care for children newborn to adolescent who have undergone general pediatric surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, urological surgery and orthopedic surgery and treatment. The unit also provides care for general medical and trauma patients. This is an exciting high-paced nursing unit with the opportunity to acquire advanced level nursing skills. The unit is proud to be the recipient of a silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence in patient care from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) for distinguished patient care.

The Department of Psychiatry

The Department of Psychiatry provides inpatient and outpatient services to children and adolescents. The inpatient unit is an acute care, crisis-stabilization unit for children and adolescents between the ages of 4-17 years, with a maximum capacity of 20 beds. As a licensed Baker Act receiving facility, the unit’s structured, safe, therapeutic environment offers an interdisciplinary approach with planned activities and group sessions organized throughout the day.

The Inpatient Psychiatry Unit focuses on diagnostic evaluation, stabilization, discharge and follow-up care. All patients attend daily activities during their stay that include school, group therapies, family therapy, and individual therapy. The interdisciplinary team members include psychiatrists, psychiatry fellows, psychiatry residents, psychologists, psychology interns and students, mental health therapists, nurse practitioners, behavioral health nurses, behavioral health technicians, case coordinators, case managers, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools teacher.

Outpatient Psychiatry services include psychiatric evaluation and medication management with psychiatrists, psychological testing, individual and family therapies, and group therapies. In addition, The Department of Psychiatry offers an Intensive Outpatient Therapy Program that provides an intermediate level of intensive psychotherapeutic services in a least restrictive level of care (12 hours per week) to those adolescents that meet criteria for inclusion.

Neurology and Neurosurgery Services Unit (5 Tower)

This 40-bed unit provides care for patients who have neurological conditions or who have undergone neurosurgery. Within the unit is a 12 bed telemetry unit specifically designed for patients on continuous video electroencephalography monitoring. The unit provides care for children experiencing seizures, neurologic developmental delays, migraines, brain tumors, head trauma, and other general medical patients. Located in the Advanced Pediatric Care Pavilion, 5 Tower utilizes the latest technology for diagnosing and treating epilepsy and other neurological disorders. 5 Tower was awarded the Gold Beacon Award for Excellence from the AACN.

Renal/Gastroenterology/Endocrinology Unit (3 Northeast)

3 Northeast is a 20 bed medical-surgical unit which specializes in the care of children with renal, gastroenterology, endocrinology, adolescent medicine, rheumatology, and other diagnoses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The majority of patients served are school age and adolescents. 3 Northeast is recipient of Gold Beacon Award, Improvement Huddle Board Award 2017 and the Team Daisy award. 3 Northeast is committed to providing excellent patient-centered care emphasizing the child's health promotion, health restoration and education, utilizing a holistic approach to nursing care. 3 Northeast is a rewarding unit with the opportunity to acquire advanced level nursing skills such as peritoneal dialysis and insulin pump technology.

Respiratory Unit (3 East)

3 East is a 20 bed medical/surgical unit that specializes in the care of inpatients and observation patients with respiratory illness and other medical diseases including patients on Home Ventilator via a tracheostomy, on BIPAP, CPAP and on High Flow Nasal Cannula support. Care is based on 24 hour a day, 7 days a week.  3E is recipient of Gold Beacon award, Improvement Huddle Board award 2017. 3 East is committed to providing excellent family centered care emphasizing the child’s health promotion, health restoration and education, utilizing a holistic approach to nursing care. It also provides safe, quality and cost-effective care to patients requiring evaluation and treatment for a period of 24-48 hours. 3E is a fast paced nursing unit with the opportunity to develop advanced skills level nurses and foster critical thinking.

Hematology/ Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Unit (6 Tower)

This unit is located on the 6th floor of the Advanced Pediatric Care Pavilion with 35 inpatient beds, seven of which comprise the Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) unit. The inpatient hematology oncology unit specializes in the care of patients with hematology diseases such as: sickle cell anemia, bleeding disorders and other alterations in the hematopoietic system. Additionally, patients with oncology diseases are admitted for chemotherapy treatments, biotherapy treatments, toxicities such as febrile neutropenia, and supportive care. The seven bed BMT unit treats a variety of malignant and non-malignant disorders with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplants, allogeneic related hematopoietic stem cell transplants, allogeneic unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplants and related and unrelated cord blood stem cell transplants.

Infant Care Unit / Observation Unit (2 North)

The Infant Care Unit/Observation Unit (2 North) at Nicklaus Children's Hospital is a 14-bed unit; eight of these rooms are designated to receive infants (<1 y/o) with medical/surgical care needs and the other six beds are designated to admit children/adolescents (0-21 y/o) that meet criteria for observation status. In June 2018, 2 North was awarded the Silver Beacon Award for Excellence recognized by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. This national three-year designation marks a significant milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and achieving a healthy work environment.

The five most common diagnoses admitted to the Infant Care Unit are as follows: acute bronchiolitis due to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease without Esophagitis, Urinary Tract Infection, Congenital Hydronephrosis, and Salmonella Enteritis. The Infant Care Unit provides opportunities for infant specialized care such as phototherapy for the treatment of hyperbilirubinemia and high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) for the treatment of bronchiolitis.

The Observation Unit is dedicated to patients who require additional monitoring.  A stay in the Observation Unit is an alternative to a hospital admission. A typical stay lasts between 4 hours and 23 hours. Our goal is to provide excellent care in order to send the child home as soon as possible.  The Observation Unit admits patients under general pediatrics and/or pediatric surgery.

LifeFlight® Critical Care Transport Program

Nicklaus Children's Hospital LifeFlight® critical care transport team provides transport of critically ill children from referring hospitals to Nicklaus Children's Hospital pediatric care units. In addition to ground ambulance transports, the LifeFlight® program offers air transport via helicopters operated by PHI, Inc., one of the world’s most experienced aircraft operators and the holder of a Part 135 Certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration, and through contracted fixed-wing aircraft charters.*

Staffing is provided by a team of an RN, Paramedic and EMT and Communication Specialist. If needed, a physician will accompany the LifeFlight® medical crew members. Drivers are EMT's or paramedics and have been trained in the safe operation of emergency vehicles and equipment. LifeFlight® provides a specialty neonatal/pediatric team of an RN and Paramedic on all transports. Quality patient care is assured during transport because LifeFlight's medical crew members are recognized for their high standards of professional excellence. They have advanced neonatal/pediatric cardiac and critical care experience. Each RN and Paramedic is certified in PALS (Pediatric advanced Life Support, ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life support) and NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) and has specialized Department of Transportation flight training and safety. These programs include survival training, skill labs as well as intubation training. EMT's and Paramedics have been trained in the safe operation emergency vehicles and equipment.

* Nicklaus Children's Hospital is not a direct air carrier. Aircraft, both helicopter and fixed wing, are operated pursuant to contract with Nicklaus Children's Hospital, by companies which are FAA certificated.

Radiology Department

The Department of Radiology at Nicklaus Children's Hospital is an exclusive pediatric radiology facility. We have been imaging children since 1950; constantly providing state-of-the art equipment and staff that is trained and dedicated to the care of infants and children. The department is staffed by highly trained specialists, including Radiologists, Radiology Nurses, Techs and support staff. These experts work together with clinical sub-specialists and attending physicians to support the care of children.

The department's commitment to excellence has led to its establishment as a regional leader for pediatric radiology, serving children throughout Florida as well as the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

The Nicklaus Children's Hospital Radiology Department is proud to be accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR) for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Ultrasound (US), Nuclear Medicine, PET and Computed Tomography (CT) services. Compliance with all requirements and receipt of accreditation is an outstanding achievement and speaks well of the dedication, skill and determination of the Radiology Department.

Surgical Services

Same Day Surgery Unit

Same Day Surgery is comprised of an 8 bed preoperative unit and 8 bed Phase II Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU II). Average monthly case volume is approximately 450, with the age of patients ranging from newborns to 21 years. The unit provides preoperative screening and care to both inpatient and outpatient patient populations for the following surgical specialties: general, ophthalmology, ENT, orthopedics, plastic and reconstructive, neurosurgery, cardiovascular, and urology. The PACU II phase provides post-operative nursing care for patients being discharged on the day of surgery.

Cardiac Catheterization Lab

The Cardiac Catheterization Lab (CCL) serves both the inpatient and outpatient population by providing care for  children and adults who were previously served by the hospital for congenital heart disease or who are referred for a specialized procedure for congenital heart disease with congenital or acquired heart disease. The CCL includes two interventional suites, 1 Cath lab and 1 Hybrid Suite specializing in the following interventional services: Cardiology, Electrophysiology and Neurology.

Operating Room

The Operating Room Department includes 9 ORs, one OR is a hybrid iMRI suite. Also in the department are 1 Cardiac Cath Suite and a Hybrid interventional radiology/Cardiac Cath/Surgical suite. For total of 11 rooms.

The OR annually provides care for thousands of children, from newborn to 21 years of age.  We are a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center. We are staffed 24/7, ready for any emergency. Staff members include approximately 65 nurses, scrub techs, peri-operative aides, and anesthesia techs.

In addition to the core OR staff, we have interdisciplinary teams from Anesthesiology, Radiology and Neuro-Physiology.

Surgical Specialties include:

• General Surgery
• Urological Surgery
• Ear, Eyes, Nose, and Throat Surgery
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Plastic/Reconstructive Surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Cardiac Surgery

Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)

The PACU I unit is a critical care area that specializes in recovery of perioperative patients in the immediate post-anesthesia phase. The unit is comprised of 12 PACU bays with one isolation room. Nurses in the PACU I phase care for both inpatient and outpatient patient populations, ranging from newborns to adult with oversight by an attending anesthesiologist. Specialties served by the PACU include ENT, ophthalmology, orthopedics, general, plastic and reconstructive, neurosurgery, urology, interventional radiology, and cardiac catheterization lab.

Minor Procedure Suite

The Minor Procedure Suite (MPS) serves both inpatient and outpatient population ranging from infancy through 21 years.  The department supports services to include Dermatology, Gastroenterology, ENT, Hematology/Oncology, and Dental procedures, with an average volume of 300 cases per month. The following procedures are also performed by the MPS department: pH probe study, hydrogen breath test, esophageal and biofeedback manometry, and body composition analysis.