Inpatient Pediatric Unit - Hennepin County Medical Center

Pediatric Services


	Inpatient Pediatrics Unit

	Welcome to Inpatient Pediatrics at Hennepin County Medical Center! Your Child's Team Features of Our Unit Our newly remodeled 18-bed unit is on the 7th floor in the Orange Building of the hospital. We understand how concerning it can be to have your child hospitalized, and our goal is to make your hospital stay as pleasant as it can possibly be. As the only secured pediatric floor in the Twin Cities, we can also assure the safest stay possible.

	The staff of the HCMC Pediatrics Unit is dedicated to meeting the emotional and physical needs of children admitted to the hospital. The Pediatric Unit includes a Child-Life Education/Recreational Program and supervised playroom. We provide care based on a multidisciplinary team approach and a patient-family focus. Staff, physicians and families communicate with each other frequently—throughout the child's hospital stay and after discharge.

	Many specialized services are available for children, including our nationally-recognized Pediatric Brain Injury Program. Inpatient services also include the newborn nursery, Newborn Intensive Care Unit, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and general pediatric care.

	Your Child's Team

	Your child’s care team consists of physicians, residents, nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, social workers, chaplains, our Child Life Specialist and, of course, patients and their families. Key Members: Steve Swanson, MD, FAAP, DTM&H is the medical director of the Inpatient Pediatric Unit. He is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota and a specialist in Pediatric Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine. Julie Curti, RN, CPN, MSN, MBA-HCA is the Nurse Manager of Pediatrics and the PICU at HCMC. She has been a pediatric nurse for over 20 years and provides nursing leadership for the PICU. Shelley Jarnagin, RN, BSN, CPN is the clinical care supervisor for inpatient pediatrics and the pediatric intensive care unit. She has been a pediatric nurse for almost 20 years. Sherrie Murphy, RN, BSN, CEN, CPHQ is the Pediatric Trauma and Critical Care Coordinator at HCMC. She has been in nursing for over 25 years and has an extensive background in Pediatric Emergency Nursing and in the care of critically ill and injured children. She has also been instrumental in the development of a number of emergency nursing training courses here at HCMC. Sharon Nibbe is the Child Life Specialist at HCMC. She helps children cope with the hospital experience through play and emotional support.

	Features of Our Unit

	Colorful murals line the walls of the unit, brightening it for young patients and their families.	Family-centering rounds involve parents in daily decision-making for their child.

	The large playroom features a piano, extensive library, games, puzzles, toys and art materials for children of all ages. There is even a foosball table and a great window seat for reading.	Our single-bed rooms have space for parents to room-in, including a fold-out chair.