The PICU and HD units in Ward 46 are well-equipped with 18 single-bedded rooms (11 PICU beds, 7 HD beds), 16 of which are negative-pressured isolation rooms and 2 are positive-pressured isolation rooms for immunocompromised patients.
As a paediatric Extracorporeal Life Support (ECMO-Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) centre in Singapore, we are able to care for critically ill or ventilated children. Our HD also continues to serve children who may have increased care needs or dependence on specialised medical technology. We provide specialised post-operative surgical care for our children who may be undergoing cardiac, neurosurgical, orthopaedic or general surgery.
Our facilities support the National University Centre for Organ Transplantation (NUCOT) for Liver and Renal transplantation. We are currently the only centre in Singapore managing paediatric solid organ transplantation. Dialysis (Continuous Veno-venous Haemodialysis or Haemofiltration) can also be employed as support modality in the PICU as a bridge to kidney or liver transplant.
In addition to managing the PICU or HD unit, our consultants also run moderate sedation and home care.
Extracorporeal Life Support (ECMO) Programme
Our paediatric ECMO programme was established in 2009. We are able to provide veno-arterial ECMO for cardiac failure (e.g. myocarditis) and veno-venous ECMO for respiratory failure (e.g. acute respiratory distress syndrome). Our ECMO data is submitted to the International Extracorporeal Life Support Organisation (ELSO) registry.
Moderate Sedation Service
Our paediatric moderate sedation service is designed to alleviate the physical and emotional trauma associated with certain procedures and medical tests for children. Our goal is to conduct our sedations with safety being the primary focus. We aim to utilise the least amount of sedatives and painkillers necessary to complete the procedure. This service is provided by our paediatric critical care team and we conduct paediatric sedation training courses regularly for our staff.
Home Care Service
The Paediatric Home Care Programme @ Khoo Teck Puat - National University Children's Medical Institute was started in April 2014 to provide optimal care for children and youths with complex medical needs at home. This serves to help patients transition home after critical illness in PICU, as well as patients who are homebound and dependent of specialised medical devices. These medical home visits help to facilitate quality care within the home environment and provide caregiver training and support. For patients who are homebound, regular medical home visits ensure that their complex medical needs are optimally managed. Outstanding medical issues can also be addressed early in the home environment, leading to early medical intervention and avoidance of hospitalisation.
Simulation Training
Our team has in place a comprehensive simulation training programme for our paediatric residents and nurses based at the Centre for Healthcare Simulation at the National University of Singapore. As part of a teaching hospital, our paediatric residents go through weekly mock codes on high-fidelity simulators. This follows a curriculum that includes handling emergent situations such as cardiopulmonary arrest, upper airway obstruction and multi-trauma. Our PICU nursing staff and residents also have opportunities for inter-professional training throughout the year.
Family-Centred Care
Having a critically ill child in the PICU or HD unit is extremely stressful for parents and families. We encourage parents to stay close to their child during hospitalisation. Parents can either stay in the
Ronald McDonald House™ or rest on the lounge chairs in the
Ronald McDonald Family Room™. Both facilities are situated just outside the PICU or HD area.
We also have a family support team consisting of medical social workers, palliative care physician and a senior staff nurse who provide counselling, psychosocial support, as well as bereavement support for families of critically ill children.