Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (PCICU)
Call for an AppointmentOur PCICU is staffed by a dedicated and diverse team of experts with advanced training in both critical care and heart care. Having this type of specialized unit translates into better outcomes for children with heart conditions. Our goal is to care for your child throughout treatment and get them back to health and home as soon as possible.
Children needing specialized heart care receive treatment at Duke Children's Hospital and Health Center.
Why Choose Duke
Neurodevelopmental Program
Since babies with cardiac problems may experience neurodevelopmental challenges, we have staff dedicated to this aspect of your child’s wellbeing. Our program nurse coordinates weekly discussions with your child’s care team, educates families about the importance of neurodevelopmental care, and provides enrichment activities. For many children up to age 2, after they are well enough to go home, our neurodevelopmental specialists can follow-up regularly with them in our Pediatric Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Clinic.
Nurse Liaison
Navigating your child’s care can be overwhelming and confusing. That’s why we have a full-time nurse liaison who is dedicated to helping you by gathering updates from your care team and answering questions.
Fetal Nurse
If your child has been diagnosed with a congenital heart condition before birth, you may already know that he or she will need to spend some time in our PCICU. Our fetal nurse will help you know what to expect by arranging a tour of the unit and answering your questions ahead of time so you can hit the ground running.
Breastfeeding Support
Lactation consultations are available for parents of newborns, and mothers who want to breastfeed are encouraged to do so as early as possible.
Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center is proud to be nationally ranked in nine pediatric specialties.