PeaceHealth opens dedicated pediatric unit

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Pediatric Care Unit on 2 North at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center expands care for families in Whatcom County and the surrounding community.

The new unit which opened in February, consists of four dedicated rooms with seven beds to care for children aged 0-17, and two additional rooms for overflow patients.

One of the rooms serves children whose outpatient procedures still may require several hours of careful observation, for example infusions, difficult lab draws, medication monitoring or sedated imaging. Currently, these outpatient services are only offered during the day, Monday through Friday. The unit soon hopes to offer these services with expanded hours and on weekends.

In addition to the specially trained, board-certified hospitalists, all the nurses who work on the unit are specifically trained to care for children of all ages. These providers coordinate care with other specialists, pediatricians, and primary care providers.

The Pediatric Care Unit at PeaceHealth St. Joseph offers family-centered space for children who need to stay in the hospital, from new babies needing extra care, to children experiencing chronic conditions or those recovering from inpatient surgery. Along with the Special Care Nursery that cares for babies 32-weeks and older, PeaceHealth’s Pediatric Care Unit also works closely with Seattle Children’s Hospital to serve as the primary hub for pediatric care north of Everett.

Instead of traveling to Everett or Seattle for some of these services, families can stay local for more of their child’s care – which means less disruption; less expense; less hassle. PeaceHealth St. Joseph plans to continue the growth of dedicated pediatric services to meet the needs of the community.

About PeaceHealth: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, a group practice with more than 1,200 providers and 10 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Visit us online at peacehealth.org.