Inpatient Nursing

CHKD nurses provide specialized pediatric care throughout the hospital. Nurses are vital members of our care teams, coordinating treatments, advocating for patients, and supporting families. Each unit in the hospital along with our resource pool (a group of auxiliary departments such as VAT and Transport) offers unique opportunities for nurses to use their skills to help children grow and heal.

About Our Inpatient Units

Description: Unit 7C is a 19-bed Pediatric Medical Surgical equipped to care for patients with common respiratory, gastroenterological, and endocrine issues. Utilizing a multidisciplinary approach, we handle general and specialized surgical cases, and common diagnoses including: Asthma, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Cystic Fibrosis, New Onset-Diabetes, Gailure to Thrive, Crohn's Disease, Short Gut Syndrome, Pectus Excavatum & Carinatum, Burn Patients, Generalized Trauma, Laparoscopic Appendectomies, and Tonsillectomies/Adenoidectomies.

Additional Information: Alongside diagnosis management, 7C is committed to setting staff up for success by providing growth opportunities through educational courses, certification in pediatric nursing (CPN) attainment, involvement in Shared Governance, and participation in robust quality improvement projects. Swim with 7C, where you can learn the best care and training under the sun and beyond the sea!

Description: Our Inpatient Hematology/Oncology unit, located on 5B, cares for children with cancer and blood disorders who require inpatient treatment or hospitalization. The unit consists of 16 private rooms, including a dedicated cellular therapy room, 2 palliative care rooms, and a large playroom for our patients where they are safe to play, explore, and take a break from the hustle and bustle of their hospital room. The HemOnc interdisciplinary team is comprised of physicians, nurses, nursing care partners, pharmacists, case managers, therapists, social workers, dieticians, education consultants, child life specialists, and unit secretaries.

Skills: Our nurses on Inpatient HemOnc receive specialized training to provide complex nursing care (assessments, monitoring, interventions, and education) for pediatric hematology/oncology patients including administering chemotherapy and biotherapy, providing supportive care measures, other key skillsets such as central line management, pain management, transfusion of blood products, administration of antimicrobial therapy, fluid and electrolyte monitoring, all while providing psychosocial support throughout the inpatient journey.

Additional Information: The team on Inpatient HemOnc supports and encourages each staff member to embrace educational opportunities where they will learn and expand their knowledge of our patient population. In addition to educational development, we offer staff development and growth opportunities that include specialty certification, committee involvement, shared governance, and process improvement projects. Ideal candidates will have a passion for teamwork, consider themselves lifelong learners, demonstrate accountability, and have an appreciation for family-centered care.

Description: The nurses on the Neuroscience Unit work together as a team to provide care for patients aging from newborn to young adult, and everywhere in between. The Neuroscience Unit is a Level 3 Epilepsy Center, with accreditation by NAEC. This unit features 16 monitored beds, with four state-of-the art video EEG rooms, with the ability to expand to other rooms via portable EEG. Communication and collaboration with the interdisciplinary team is critical for the acute and chronically ill patient population.

Skills: Neuroscience is a growing specialized unit for neurology, neurosurgery, trauma, and neuromuscular research patients. These children require the staff to be skilled and knowledgeable in general pediatric care as well as, but not limited to: seizure management, neurological assessments, ventricular shunt care, EVDs, ketogenic diets, cardiac monitoring, trauma care, and adhering to research protocols and standards.

Over 500 of our smallest patients receive care in our NICU and neonatal stepdown unit.

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Description: The pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is a 25 bed medical/surgical unit with an average age range from 35 weeks to adulthood.  The admitting diagnoses include congenital heart defects, general surgeries requiring postoperative intensive care, acute respiratory illnesses, emergency airway management, trauma, burns, sepsis, multisystem organ failure, and hemodynamic instability.

Skills: Our PICU team prides itself on having an open communication style among disciplines and care is routinely provided by a multi-disciplinary team, including collaboration with our Pediatric Critical Care Intensivists. The nursing care delivery system utilizes a holistic family-centered care approach to patients and families. Nurses in the PICU have specialized training to meet the standards of practice to care for trauma, neurosurgical, ECMO, CRRT, post-operative cardiothoracic surgery, and many others high acuity patients.

Additional Information: The PICU leadership and education team strive to offer continual learning opportunities targeted to each phase of nursing development. Our goal is to promote fundamental tools for practice improvement, enhance critical thinking, and growth in knowledge development. We would love to have you join our team!

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Description: The nursing team of the Progressive Care Unit, located on 8C, cares for patients aged newborn to young adult. The 20 monitored beds are designed for patients needing close monitoring or observation. Nurses on the Progressive Care Unit work in an interdisciplinary team to provide care for patients with a wide variety of disorders but are specially trained to care for patients with renal disease, complex orthopedic surgeries such as posterior spinal fusions, gastrointestinal diseases, and mental health disorders.

Skills: Nurses on this unit are adept at a diverse group of skills including: Physical assessment, Oxygen therapies, Medication administration IV and phlebotomy skills, Central line management, Gastric tube insertion and feeding Cardiac monitoring, Wound management, Pain management, De-escalation, and Critical thinking.

Additional Information: The team on 8C supports each member with educational opportunities to learn and hone the assortment of skills required to care for the diverse patient population. Staff development and continuing education are offered along with other growth opportunities including shared governance and process improvement projects. Join our Safari adventure and become a guide to your best career in nursing.

Description: The nursing team of the Technology Dependent ICU, located on the 3rd floor, cares for patients’ age range averaging from infants to adolescents. The 7-bed unit is designed with a patient/family centered care approach. Each room is equipped with central monitoring. The unit has an open floor plan for high visibility. Our nurses work alongside an effective interdisciplinary team consisting of a nurse practitioner, pulmonologists, respiratory therapists, social workers, dieticians, mental health, child life specialist, physical, occupational, and speech therapists. Nurses in the TICU work as part of an interdisciplinary team to provide care for patients with a wide variety of disorders including premature birth, traumatic brain injury, chronic lung, gastrointestinal disorders, and neuromuscular disorders leading to the need for trach and/or ventilator dependency. Our patients care includes technology dependency such as tracheostomy, ventilator and gastrojejunal tubes. Patients need for support ranges from 24-hour ventilator support to tracheostomy dependent only.

Skills: Nurses on this unit are adept at a diverse group of skills including Physical assessment, Medication administration, phlebotomy skills, Tracheostomy care, oxygen therapies, ventilator monitoring, Gastric tube insertion and feeding, Wound management, Pain management, De-escalation, and Critical thinking. In TICU, the nurses work to provide education on tracheostomy care. TICU nurses provide education to patients and families at minimum three times a week. Patients’ length of stay can vary up to a few months. Nurses provide 1:1 teaching with designated caregivers to determine competency for a successful transition home. The goal is to assist our families in obtaining complete independence in care for their child prior to discharge home.

Additional Information: Opportunities for professional development and continuing education are available on this unit through shared governance and unit-based council. Our education team provides a five-year plan for professional development. Our leadership team supports continuing education opportunities through advancing degrees, certifications, and clinical advancement programs. Come explore the rainforest and join the TICU team!

Description: The nursing team of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit, located on the 5th floor 5C, cares for patients’ ages ranging from infants to young adult. The 8-bed unit is the only inpatient pediatric rehabilitation facility in Virginia and is designed with a patient/family centered care approach. Each room is equipped with ceiling lifts for proper patient handling. The unit includes a common room space where patients can complete meals, games, and socialization in preparation for home. The unit is adjacent to the therapy gym on the 5th floor. Our nurses work alongside an effective interdisciplinary team consisting of a nurse practitioner, physicians, school instructors, social workers, dieticians, mental health, child life specialist, physical, occupational, and speech therapists. Nurses on the Rehabilitation Unit work as part of an interdisciplinary team to provide care for patients with a wide variety of disorders including but not limited to spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury (TBI), autoimmune disorders, stroke, cerebral palsy, brain tumors, amputation, feeding difficulties, trach and/or ventilator dependent etc.

Skills: Nurses on this unit are adept at a diverse group of skills including Physical assessment, Medication administration, phlebotomy skills, Tracheostomy care, oxygen therapies, ventilator monitoring, Gastric tube insertion and feeding, Wound management, Pain management, De-escalation, and Critical thinking. On the Rehabilitation unit the nurses work to provide carryover from therapy sessions to reinforce healing and progression. Rehabilitation nurses provide education to patients and families during their stay to provide successful transitions home. The goal is to assist our patients in obtaining optimal level of function prior to discharge home.

Additional Information: Opportunities for professional development and continuing education are available in this unit through shared governance and unit-based council. Our leadership team supports continuing education opportunities through advancing degrees, certifications, and clinical advancement programs. Come join the Rehab team and soar to new heights! Rehab Rocks!

Description: As the only stand-alone Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center in the state of Virginia and backed by the largest medical staff of pediatric specialty doctors in the region, the Emergency Department (ED) at Children’s Hospital of the Kings Daughters offers comprehensive care to kids 24/7 and is ready for any emergency, simple to complex. Staffed by board-certified emergency medicine physicians, nurses and support staff with special training and experience in pediatric emergency care, the emergency department provides expert treatment in a kid-friendly environment and takes a family-centered approach to keep our young patients comfortable during the stress of injury or illness. We have the staffing and space to provide prompt care with 2 trauma rooms, 30 beds and 3 triage areas in the department. In addition, we have recently opened a Mental Health Emergency Service area with additional 6 beds, to provide service for those with acute mental health needs.

Skills: In the Emergency Department we provide an environment that's as nurturing as it is dynamic. Our team-oriented approach allows for ample learning and career growth opportunities. Our leadership team strives to ensure ideal atmosphere in which to best use your skills and talents.

Description: The nursing team on the Med-Psych Unit, located on 7D in our Main Hospital, cares for patients pre-school to young adult that require both medical-surgical and mental health care. Care on this seven-bed unit is unique as it integrates med-surg nursing care along with embedded mental health care using an interdisciplinary approach for children who need both attention to their physical and emotional needs in a safe environment. The nursing and mental health team on 7D is able to identify, recognize, and respond to the needs of our children who frequently have diagnoses or concerns related to anxiety, eating/feeding disorders, poly pharmacological ingestions, suicidal ideation, aggressive behaviors and autism spectrum disorder with a medical component.

Skills: Nurses on the unit develop a diverse group of skills ranging from IV therapy and tube management, phlebotomy, to de-escalation and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills.

Additional Information: Staff are provided various opportunities to learn and hone their skills as well as provide feedback on specific patient’s individualized care plan to broader aspects of unit workflow via forums such as shared governance and/or performance improvement/quality projects. Join our 7D team and help be the light for our kids as they work on becoming their best self.

Orientation for the New Inpatient Nurse

All inpatient nurses at CHKD are provided with a one-on-one preceptored orientation. CHKD's unique orientation ensures that the new employee is given the appropriate tools and knowledge to excel in a career as a pediatric nurse. CHKD's comprehensive new graduate inpatient nursing orientation is a 10-16 week program that provides nurses with the classroom and clinical experiences needed to get them started on a successful career in pediatric nursing.

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New Graduate RN Residency Program for the Newly Licensed Nurse

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Patient Care Services

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Inpatient Nursing 1

CHKD's Clinical Advancement Program for Inpatient Nurses

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