Our Children’s Healthcare Center provides care for medically fragile and/or technology-dependent children, ages newborn through 21 years.
Most children are admitted from a hospital NICU or PICU. This program focuses on patients who no longer require acute care, but who need significant medical attention related to wound therapy, PICC antibiotics, post-surgical care, NG, GJ tube feedings, and ventilator care. The Center is a “home away from home” for medically fragile children and their families.
Our 16-bed facility offers child/adolescent-friendly and welcoming rooms. There are separate rooms for physical therapy, learning, eating and play, as well as rooms for parents to stay overnight.
As the nursing director for Maryville Children’s Healthcare Center, Helene Pochopien‘s goal is to get every child home with the proper care they need.
We are so proud to share this story that is part of the Sun-Times Hardest Working Voices series which spotlights Chicago area residents who keep our city and region humming.
Health care profiles are underwritten by AMITA Health, organized labor profiles by the Chicago Federation of Labor and sports profiles by the Chicago Blackhawks. Go to suntimes.com/voices to read more.
Click on the link to view the video (posted on the Chicago Sun-Times YouTube Channel on October 19, 2019) –
https://youtu.be/tQoFHwsnsHc
Guiding Principles
Individual Care which Focuses on the Child and their Family
Since each child has special needs, the Maryville Children’s Healthcare Center individualizes care plans which focus on the child, their family, and the specialized care he or she requires. We care for the whole family, not just the child. We work with parents and caregivers, and provide all the required training so that, when appropriate, a successful transition from care to home can occur. We share information across disciplines. Our goal is to help the child heal physically, emotionally and mentally.
Positive Individual Attention and Nurturing
We see our patients as children first. Just as we work to stabilize and improve physical health, we also assist the children to grow, play, develop, communicate and participate in school and community activities. We coordinate with the child’s school district to facilitate teachers coming to the Center to continue their education as they recover. We also provide parents and caregivers the tools and training they need to be able to meet all of their child’s medical needs once they return home.
The Maryville Children’s Healthcare Center facilitates the child’s return home in order to avoid unnecessary re-admissions and/or emergency room visits.
We successfully accomplish these goals by coordinating the services and providing extensive parent and caregiver training.
Coordination of Services
For children who have prescriptions for physical, occupational, speech or development therapies, as well as educational services, we link their families to the service providers who will be following their cases upon discharge from the Children’s Healthcare Center. Transportation to follow-up doctor appointments at hospitals and specialty clinics is provided routinely during each child’s stay. Our goal is to teach family members how to navigate medical equipment and necessary items for community outings in the future.
Extensive Parent/Caregiver Training
From admission to discharge, staff works side-by-side with each family to ensure that the training meets their specialized needs. Helping train parents on the medical equipment their child requires is critical for maintaining stabilization upon discharge.
Services and Training
Children will receive nurturing, individualized care. With the 24-hour nursing care, the following services are included:
- Ventilator care
- Apnea monitoring
- Trach care
- PICC line care & IV medications
- Post-Op care
- G tube/button care and changes
- Oxygen and/or high humidity
- Central nervous system monitoring
- Wound care/dressing changes
- 24-hour, on-call physician services
- Bilingual staff
- Specialized training by our nursing staff so parents/caregivers can provide the needed care for their medically fragile child once they return home
- Full continuum of care including:
- Coordination of appointments with doctors and therapists (parental attendance required on visits)
- Transportation via Maryville medical transport van.
To learn more about the Maryville Children’s Healthcare Center, please call 773-205-3606.
