Once Upon a Time…
The MeritCare PICU has made a big difference in the families who have received care here. Read stories of our patients.
Lisa Bjergaard wasn't alarmed when her 8-year-old son Danny woke up feeling a little sick on a Monday morning last February. A flu bug had been making the rounds, causing many kids to be absent from school. But the next day, he wasn't any better.
Read more stories.
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
The eight-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is an important part of MeritCare Children's Hospital. It is designed specifically for children with the most critical injuries or illnesses and it is the most advanced pediatric intensive care unit in this region. The PICU is staffed 24/7 by an expert medical team, led by two pediatric intensivist doctors, Waldemar Storm, M.D. and Vytautas Sapiega, M.D.
Family Centered Care
Respirators, EKG monitors, intravenous tubes and the technology of today's intensive care unit can baffle a child and family. To help address patient and family concerns, the medical staff of MeritCare Children's Hospital PICU is supported by an extensive team that includes social workers, child life specialists, hospital chaplains, guest services and others – all focused on providing family centered care.
Treatment
MeritCare Children's Hospital PICU cares for over 300 children each year. Many of them are severely injured or ill. Despite handling these acute medical needs, our PICU patient outcomes consistently rank on par with the national averages for patient outcomes. Read more about outcomes and treatments.
Technology and Equipment
Children are not miniature adults. They have very special medical needs. MeritCare offers specialized treatment using the latest technology and equipment to care for children. Read more about our PICU technology and equipment.
LifeFlight Air Ambulance
Many of our PICU patients are children who face life-threatening medical conditions. Often, they are transferred from other hospitals to MeritCare by our flying intensive care unit known as LifeFlight. Dedicated to advanced treatment and high-speed transport 24/7, this highly trained flight team utilizes life-support equipment to stabilize, treat and monitor a child throughout high-speed transport. Learn more about MeritCare LifeFlight.
Why You Need A PICU
Whether your child has a rare illness or a complex injury, you'll want the most advanced care available. Get the facts.
PICU Questions
As a parent of a child in the MeritCare PICU, you may have a lot of questions about how your child is cared for. Find answers to some of the most common questions we hear from parents.
Security
Safety is a top priority at MeritCare PICU. Learn about all of things we do to keep your child safe.
As a Children's Hospital PICU we have a long list of pediatric medical experts not often found at many region's hospitals.
Pediatric medical experts include:
- Allergy
- Cardiology (Heart)
- Critical Care
- Endocrinology (Diabetes and Metabolism)
- Gastroenterology (Digestive System)
- Immunology (lab and clinical)
- Neonatal Intensive Care (newborn babies)
- Neurology (Nerves and Brain)
- Neuropsychology (Cognitive and Behavior)
- Oncology and Hematology (Cancer and Blood Disease)
- Orthopedics (Bones and Joints)
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Pulmonary (Lungs)
- Psychiatry and Psychology (Mental Health)
MeritCare Children's Referral Directory
Physicians: If you need a consultation or are considering transferring a child to MeritCare Children's Hospital, or if a child requires a pediatric specialty care clinic appointment, use the Children's referral telephone directory or the transfer form. 