Acute Care Pediatrics at University of Virginia Health

Acute Care Pediatrics has been caring for one of our patients on and off, A, for his whole life! A has many chromosomal abnormalities, is non-verbal, and is medically complex. Over the summer A was admitted to the unit related to social reasons. As of today he has been inpatient for 170 days! His complexity has made discharge planning challenging. In his 170 days on our unit I have witnessed the impact the above teams have made on A. The nurses, HUCs, and techs have cared for him, advocated for him, and been a second family to A. You can frequently find him hugging the nurses/techs/HUCS on his walks. A's complexities require him to have a patient safety companion at all times. Aside from keeping A and his central line safe, these team members have gone above and beyond--walks (and more walks), reading him books, making sure he has shoes and clothes that fit. You name it--they have done it! The unit-based teachers have worked wonders with A! He is the proud new owner of a backpack that he wears!! They worked very hard on trying to get him glasses to see. This team took him to the classroom each day to advance his knowledge and development. The little things, like teaching A to open a door, were all accomplished by Allyson and Camilla. The EVS team has even impacted A. He LOVES (I mean LOVES) to watch them take out the trash in each room. This group allows him to do this each day! The work and preparation for a safe discharge for A have been HUGE. Grace, Charge Nurse, and Paula, Case Manager, have worked diligently to be sure he has a safe discharge plan, all the supplies he needs (here and at his new home), and all the small details in between. The Acute Care Pediatrics team and other teams mentioned have impacted A greatly in the last 170 days! The teamwork, compassion, collaboration, and drive to create the best space for A is impressive, kind, and the true meaning of how members from so many teams work together here at UVA to impact our patients.