The Josie Y.S. Lee Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)

CHOC’s pediatric intensive care units provide intensive and acute care to critically ill surgical and medical pediatric patients. The units include the 18-bed Josie Y.S. Lee Pediatric Intensive Care Unit on the 6th floor — the Nick G. Anas, MD Critical Care Floor — and a 12-bed PICU on the 2nd floor of the hospital.

The state-of-the art 6th floor PICU is designed to foster a comfortable, family-centered care environment that encourages interaction between families and caregivers in peaceful and healing surroundings. Innovative in its design, the unit features private patient rooms with sofa/sleep beds and separation curtains for parents, satellite nursing stations throughout the unit with bedside charting, and advanced equipment that gives caregivers 360 degree access to patients. The PICU features a fully-equipped procedure room that enables physicians to perform life-saving procedures on critically ill children. 

The PICU also features a satellite pharmacy so medications can be more quickly dispensed, and an onsite blood-gas lab for respiratory therapy management. Pediatric intensive care specialists are available in house at all times and have on call rooms located on the floor. 

There is also a family zone, sponsored by the Ronald McDonald House, which includes a bright, airy area with comfortable furnishings and a respite lounge for parents. Additional amenities include private alcoves, a kitchenette, shower facilities, internet access and a family consultation room—all just steps away from patient rooms, physicians and staff.

CHOC has been recognized by Virtual Pediatric Systems (VPS), a national collaborative of over 200 ICUs, for having statistically significant lower mortality and shorter length of stay ratios when compared to a cohort of 19 similar PICUs.

The CHOC PICU was the first in the nation to earn the Pediatric Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence.

The award is presented by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) and represents CHOC’s extraordinary commitment to high quality critical care standards, and dedication to the exceptional care of patients and their families.

As a Beacon Award recipient, CHOC’s PICU succeeds in the following areas, as measured against evidence-based criteria:

• Recruitment and retention
• Education, training and mentoring
• Research and evidence-based practice
• Patient outcomes
• Leadership and organization ethics
• Healing environment.