Critical care

Few institutions nationwide can meet the performance standards of the critical care specialists at Children's Wisconsin. Critical care physicians also are an important reason why Children's is a Level I pediatric trauma center.

Children may come to the intensive care unit following an accident or surgical procedure, or because they have been diagnosed with a serious medical condition. All of our patients have one thing in common: the need for special, intensive care.

With a 72-bed pediatric critical care unit, one of the nation's largest, Children's has 30 critical care specialists, 16 critical care-trained nurse practitioners and a highly trained intensive care unit team who treat children with serious medical or surgical care needs.

Doctors and nurses always are immediately available to respond to the needs of critically ill patients and their families. With the help of state-of-the-art technology, our team responds to emergencies, with a family-centered approach and compassion.

Responsive, professional care of critically ill infants and children

The Al McGuire Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is a regional referral center, with a team that delivers the highest level of pediatric critical care, meeting Level I guidelines of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

A child may come to the PICU after trauma or specialized surgery, or with a severe infectious disease or shock and respiratory failure. Whatever the problem, the, critical care specialists at Children's are ready to provide individualized, special intensive care and treatment for any condition.

Transport and physician referral

Children's Transport and Physician Referral Services provides transport services from referring hospitals to Children's. The team is fully prepared to handle the wide range of medical or surgical needs a patient may have during a transport.