Physicians
Primary Nurses
Social Workers
Pharmacists
Patient Services Assistants
Interpreters
Child Life Services
Volunteers
Tutors
Chaplains
Ethics Consultation Service
At Floating Hospital, we understand that each child’s health care needs are as unique as they are. That is why we offer our patients, and their families, a valuable team of medical professionals and resources including:
Physicians
A staff physician (the “attending physician”) will direct your child’s medical care and will visit your child regularly during his or her stay. Because the Floating Hospital is a teaching hospital, the attending physician is assisted by members of the house staff—residents and interns—who are physicians receiving specialized medical training. This means that your child may be examined by more than one physician and may be asked some of the same questions more than once, for which we ask your patience and understanding. You may meet some medical students and physician assistants as well, but your child’s care is always directed by the attending physician. Physician specialists will be consulted as needed and may also examine your child. Your child’s attending physician at the Floating Hospital will make every effort to keep your child’s regular doctor informed about your child’s progress.
Primary Nurses
Every patient admitted to the Floating Hospital has a primary nurse. Your child’s primary nurse is a registered nurse who will work with you to plan your child’s care. The nurse will also work closely with other members of the health care team (physicians, social workers, therapists, etc.) throughout your child’s stay. He or she will help you understand the nature of your child’s illness, its treatment, and how to care for your child after discharge. When the primary nurse is not working, other nurses will provide care based on the plan designed by the primary nurse. If you have any questions or concerns during your child’s stay or after discharge, feel free to discuss them with your child’s primary nurse. The unit’s nurse manager will also be happy to work with you to address any concerns regarding nursing care.
Social Workers
As a member of the health care team, a clinical social worker is available to help you and your child cope with the stresses that can so often accompany illness and hospitalization. Social workers offer a variety of services ranging from individual, family or group counseling to providing resource information and referral. Social workers can also assist patients in planning for their personal safety and assessing protective services, if needed. If you wish to speak with a social worker, you
can ask a member of your child’s health care team or call the Department of Social Work Services at 617-636-5136.
Pharmacists
In addition to preparing and dispensing medications, a pharmacist monitors your
child’s drug therapy and provides information to doctors and nurses. You are asked not to give your child any medication—either prescription or over-the-counter—without checking with a nurse, physician or pharmacist. A pharmacist can answer any questions you might have concerning the medication prescribed by your child’s physician. The unit secretary or nurse can help you contact a pharmacist.
Patient Services Assistants
Each patient care area has patient services assistants assigned to provide personalized non-clinical services. These PSAs perform a variety of tasks including room cleaning, providing transportation within the hospital, serving meals and responding to your requests. Each PSA is poised to serve you in an effort to make your child’s stay as comfortable as possible.
Interpreters
To improve communication between patients, parents and caregivers, the Medical Center provides interpreters in more than 30 languages, as well as video sign language interpreting services. You can request an interpreter by asking the unit secretary to call 617-636-5547. At night and on weekends, interpreters are available for emergencies only. For more information on interpreter services.
Child Life Services
Children like having fun, and play provides a valuable way to help children in the hospital express their feelings and deal with being ill. The Floating Hospital pioneered the concept of integrating play into the daily routine, and it is an important part of the care provided at the hospital. Child life specialists provide play materials and activities at the bedside and during supervised group sessions in the hospital’s playroom. Specially trained, child life specialists offer emotional support opportunities for medical preparation and provide individual help in making the hospital experience a positive one for patients and their families. A Surgical Preparation Program is offered on Saturdays for ambulatory surgeries and
on an individual basis for inpatient surgeries to prepare children for the pre- and postoperative experience. Call Child Life Services at 617-636-5232, for information and scheduling. More information on Child Life Services.
Volunteers
A volunteer program designed to provide activities and companionship for pediatric and adolescent inpatients is available evenings and weekends. Contact Child Life Services at 617-636-5232 for information. Parents may borrow magazines, books, videos and games from the Volunteer Services Department, open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on the seventh floor of the Proger Building. Volunteer Services can be reached at 617-636-1377.
Tutors
Tutoring is available to provide educational instruction. For further information, please call 617-636-5232.
Chaplains
Chaplains of various faiths can visit you and your family to offer emotional and spiritual support. If you wish to speak with a chaplain, ask the unit secretary to make arrangements, or call 617-636-5111 and ask the operator to page the chaplain.
Ethics Consultation Service
The Ethics Consultation Service responds to consultation requests for ethical and procedural issues relating to individual patients and their families. Any member of the healthcare team can make a consultation request, as can patients or their family members. A request for an ethics consultation may be initiated by contacting the ethics coordinator through the Pastoral Care office at 617-636-2500.