Critical Care Terminology
Some of the terminology used in the Pediatric Critical Care Unit at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) might be unfamiliar to you. We’ve compiled a glossary of important PCCU terms to assist you in communicating with our pediatric staff.
Alarms: Alarms will sound for many reasons. Monitor alarms will sound when heart rate, respiratory rate, or oxygen saturations fall outside an acceptable range. Medication pump alarms will sound to notify staff that a treatment or infusion is complete. Ventilator alarms will sound to notify staff of a disruption in the circuit or a change in the delivered support. Staff in the PICU set alarms to go off at the slightest change and before a serious problem arises. This may cause false alarms at times, but it allows us to observe your child closely. Alarms may also be observed from the nursing station or another patient’s room.
Arterial Line: A flexible catheter inserted into an artery of the arm or leg to allow the continuous monitoring of blood pressure and the sampling of arterial blood to ensure adequacy of oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.
Bag, Ambu-bag: An inflatable bag connected to oxygen that allows a physician, nurse, or respiratory therapist to help your child breath.
Call Light: A long cable with an oblong plastic box at the end that contains a button to ring for the nurse and controls for the television. Each room is equipped with a one.
Central Line: A tube with 2 or more lumens that is inserted into a large vein of the neck, chest or groin that is used for monitoring pressure and infusing medications.
Chest Tube: A sterile, flexible tubing inserted by the physician into the chest to allow unwanted fluids or air to drain.
Emergency Cart: “Red” rolling cart that contains supplies and medications needed to treat a child during a crisis.
Fellow: A critical care fellow is physician who has completed residency training in Pediatrics and is pursuing further training in critical care medicine.
ET Tube: A flexible plastic tube placed into a child’s airway through the nose or mouth to help him or her breath.
Heart Rate: The number of times a minute your child’s heart beats. Staff members will monitor the top green line on the monitor to observe the rhythm of the heartbeat.
Incentive Spirometer: A very important device consisting of a tube that your child breathes through and 3 balls which move up and down depending on the force of a breath. This toy-like device helps to open up your child’s lungs and prevent pneumonia.
Isolation: Used to prevent transfer of illness to the patient, other patients in the PCCU or the visitor. One or all of the following may be included: gown, gloves, mask, special isolation room, or limited visitors.
IV (Abbreviation for “intravenous”): A flexible catheter that is inserted into a blood vessel to provide fluids, medications, blood products, and/or nutrition. These may be peripheral (inserted into a small vein in the hand, foot, or arm) or central lines (inserted into a larger vein via the neck, groin, or chest).
Limb Holders: Velcro holders placed on children’s arm and/or leg to prevent them from removing or pulling at equipment, IV’s, and tubes essential to their recovery.
Monitor: The large screen located above your child’s bed that shows heart rhythm/rate, blood pressure, and saturations. Other numbers may also be seen if your child’s condition indicates use of other treatments.
NG (Abbreviation for “nasogastric tube”): A flexible tube that is inserted through the patient’s nose into the stomach to drain unwanted fluids that can build up.
Pediatric Intensivist: A pediatrician who has undergone several years of additional training in the management of critically ill children and young adults. After completion of training and passing an examination, the pediatric intensivist becomes board-certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. Once board-certified, a pediatric intensivist is required to renew their certification every 7 years.
Pulmonary Toilet & Postural Drainage: A procedure used to assist in eradicating mucous and secretions out of your child’s lung. The respiratory therapists use their hands in a cuplike fashion or use a machine to gently vibrate on your child’s chest.
Pulse Ox Probe: A “red light” - usually taped to your child’s finger or toe connected by a wire to the pulse oximeter - that measures the oxygen saturation in your child’s blood.
Respiratory Rate: A measure of how fast your child is breathing. The monitor tracks it from abdominal “belly” and chest movement. The monitor counts your child’s movement through his or her breathing, so this figure may not be completely accurate. Thus, the health care team will also watch, look, and listen to your child’s breathing.
Respiratory Therapist: A licensed professional who has graduated from an approved respiratory therapy training program and is qualified to provide respiratory care under the supervision of a physician. The respiratory therapist plays an important role in the PCCU by monitoring the function of all devices that support breathing, deliver oxygen and deliver respiratory medications.
Saturation: A measurement of how well oxygen is being carried by the red blood cells in the bloodstream.
Sedation/ Paralysis: All patients and especially children who are on a mechanical ventilator to help their breathing require sedation and pain medicine to be comfortable. There are numerous medicines the members of the ICU team can use to ensure a child’s comfort. Some children, due to their condition, require a medicine to relax their muscles and keep them from moving. This is called paralysis. Though the term paralysis is frightening and it may be strange to see your child not moving, the effects of the paralytic medicines are short lived.
Suctioning: This may be needed for mouths and/or noses. If your child has an ET tube in place, he or she may need assistance clearing secretions. In this case, the ET tube will be suctioned and a staff member will assist your child’s breathing using a bag connected to oxygen.
Ventilator: A device that assists with patients’ breathing.
