Pediatric Sedation Center at Golisano Children’s Hospital Earns National Recognition

From Alyssa Bostwick, the Chief Nurse and Operations Executive at Golisano Children’s Hospital

Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida is a special place.

As the only children’s hospital between Tampa and Miami, we proudly serve the children and families of Southwest Florida.

We are honored to have our Pediatric Sedation Center recently recognized as a Center of Excellence. This national honor speaks to the kind of care we provide each and every day. Golisano Children’s Hospital now joins only 11 other hospitals in the country with this recognition.

The Pediatric Sedation Center at Golisano Children’s Hospital uses sedation and support to make children feel comfortable during certain procedures.

Because children learn and cope through play, teams at Golisano Children’s Hospital help alleviate fears through evidence-based practices which include developmentally appropriate play, preparation and education, and the use of sensory resources. In the pediatric sedation center, child life specialists are trained to prepare children for procedures by educating them about what they can expect to see, hear and feel during their medical treatment. In addition to developmentally appropriate education, child life specialists also provide support during procedures and assist children with developing positive coping strategies to decrease stress and anxiety. With child life support, children are often able to complete invasive procedures without the use of sedation.

The Golisano Children’s Hospital pediatric sedation team includes multiple certified nursing assistants, a specially trained critical care nursing team, a respiratory therapist, an advanced provider, a pediatric intensivist, a certified child life specialist and a patient care liaison.

The Society for Pediatric Sedation is a national multidisciplinary organization striving to advance the practice of pediatric procedural sedation by promoting safe, high-quality care, innovative research and quality professional education.

The Center of Excellence designation requires organizations to follow the guidelines presented by the Society for Pediatric Sedation, complete a thorough application process to be considered as a candidate, and be evaluated by the Society based on the set guidelines and against other applicants. The purpose of this recognition is to acknowledge organizations that provide outstanding care with exceptional patient outcomes.

We are extremely proud of our pediatric sedation team and all that they do for our patients.

Learn more about Golisano Children’s Hospital at www.leehealth.org.