Words You'll Hear at Monroe Carell

Here are some common terms we use throughout Monroe Carell that you and your family may hear during your stay or visit.

Consent form

A form signed by a child’s parent or legal guardian authorizing the hospital’s staff to provide medical care. If your child needs surgery or a special procedure, a physician will explain it and its potential risks. You will be asked to sign a separate surgical consent form.

Consulting physician

A medical doctor with a particular area of expertise who may be asked to help diagnose and treat your child. Your attending physician will request that this doctor be involved.

Fellow

A physician who has completed a residency and is training in a subspecialty.

Informed consent

A legal standard defining how much a patient (parent/guardian) must know about the potential effects and risks of therapy before being able to undergo it knowledgeably and accept legal responsibility for the result.

Isolation room

Isolation rooms are for a single patient who requires protection from germs that others may carry or who has an infection that could easily be spread to other patients. Isolation room doors must be closed at all times. Visitors and healthcare workers may need to wear special clothing before entering the room. If your child needs isolation, he/she will not be able to visit the play and activity rooms, but special arrangements will be made for your child to participate in activities through our child life team.

IV therapists

IV therapists are nurses who are specially trained in starting IVs on children.

Laboratory technologist

These medical technologists perform tests on specimens obtained from your child that help physicians diagnose and treat conditions.

Multidisciplinary team

A team of professionals from various specialties who care for a patient and family. Healthcare can present complex problems requiring experts in many areas to care for the needs of one child. Children's Hospital's multidisciplinary approach ensures your child will receive the best and most efficient care possible.

Nursing report

The nursing report occurs at the change of each shift, usually 6:45 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. Nurses from the last shift and the incoming shift share information about your child’s care and needs. As a partner in your child's care, you will participate in the nursing report to help you and the nursing staff coordinate a plan of care.

Pharmacist

Pharmacists are persons trained to prepare and distribute medications. They can tell you how to use a medication properly, how different drugs may interact and how a drug may affect your child’s illness. All pharmacists that practice at Children’s Hospital are specially trained for the medication needs of children.

Phlebotomist

A phlebotomist works in hospital’s clinical laboratory and draws the samples of blood used to help diagnose your child’s condition.

Pre-admission testing

Testing ordered by your physician that must be completed before your child comes to stay at the hospital.

Rounds

Groups of physicians, nurses and other staff move from patient to patient to discuss each child’s medical needs and progress. Sometimes the physicians will come into your room and talk with you and your child. Other times they will remain outside your room to discuss care. As a partner in your child’s care, participation in rounds helps you and your child’s healthcare providers coordinate a plan of care.

Universal precautions

Hospitals adopt precautions to prevent the transmission of various diseases, including blood-borne diseases. These special procedures, called universal precautions, were established by the National Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Healthcare workers use universal precautions if they may come in contact with blood or body fluids when caring for a patient. Hand washing is an important part of universal precautions to prevent the spread of infections.

You may notice certain healthcare workers use gloves, gowns, protective eyewear and/or masks while caring for your child. You may also be asked to wash your hands or wear special clothing before entering your child’s room. The staff will often disinfect their hands with a waterless solution located outside the room, but feel free to ask them at any time if they have washed their hands.