Meet Your Care Team

Your child’s care is provided by a medical team comprised of several specially-trained individuals. This means that there will be many different people entering your child’s room. Below is an explanation of the different types of providers you will likely encounter.

Your Medical Team

Attending physicians (gray coat or professional dress) are the supervisors of your child’s main team of doctors and medical
providers. They:

  • Are in charge of your child's care
  • See your child every day
  • Talk with you about your child's care
  • Answer your questions

Fellow physicians (gray coat or professional dress) are board-certified pediatricians pursuing additional training in a specialized area of
pediatrics. They: 

  • See your child every day 
  • May examine your child 
  • Talk with you about your child's care and answer your questions

Advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants (APRNs/PAs, long white coat or professional dress) coordinate your child’s care with your child’s main doctors. They: 

  • See your child every day
  • May examine your child
  • Talk with you about your child’s care and answer your questions

Resident physicians (long white coat or professional dress) are licensed doctors receiving additional training and specializing in the healthcare of children. They:

  • Are your child's main doctor and the "front-line provider" 
  • See and examine your child every day 
  • Talk with you about your child's care and answer your questions

Medical students (short white coat or professional dress) are in school training to be doctors. They:

  • Work closely with your child's main doctors
  • May examine your child 
  • May ask questions and answer your questions

Nursing leaders (professional dress) are registered nurses (RNs) and members of the leadership team, and may have the title manager, director, educator or charge nurse. They:

  • Talk with you about your child's care and answer your questions 
  • Resolve any questions or concerns from patient families 
  • Work to ensure overall patient satisfaction 

Nurses (scrubs) are licensed medical professionals who:

  • Administer medications and treatments
  • Help coordinate and provide your child’s daily care
  • Teach you how to care for your child 
  • Talk with you about your child's care and answer your questions

Others who may be part of your child's team: 

  • Pharmacists are licensed healthcare professionals who provide medication expertise
  • Registered Dieticians (RDs) help ensure your child is getting the right nutrition
  • Respiratory Therapists (RTs) help deliver breathing treatments to your child
  • Speech, Physical and Occupational Therapists specialize in the assessment and treatment of proficiency in feeding/swallowing skills, communication skills and motor development

Your Family Services Team

Family Services plays a big role on your child’s healthcare team. Specially trained staff and volunteers provide access to many resources for your child and family.

A social worker can: 

  • Assist your family in addressing a problem 
  • Help you follow your child's medical plan 
  • Provide help if your family does not feel safe at home
  • Learn more about social workers

Spiritual care services can:

  • Talk with you about “Why is this happening to us?”
  • Provide a priest, pastor or rabbi to talk to
  • Provide a prayer, blessing, Bible or Sabbath candless
  • Learn more about our spiritual care services

A child life specialist or creative arts therapist can: 

  • Help your family get ready for a medical procedure
  • Explain what happens in the hospital 
  • Use play, art or music to help exploration and growth
  • Get more information about our child life specialists or creative arts therapists

School services can:

  • Help your child keep learning during hospitalization
  • Help with homework
  • Answer questions about school-related issues
  • Get more information about our education program

An interpreter can: 

  • Explain something to you in your own language
  • Communicate with you and your healthcare team to remove language barriers
  • Learn more about our interpreters

A ParentWISE or PeerWISE volunteer can: 

  • Provide support through volunteers who have experienced illness and hospitalization
  • Learn more about ParentWISE and PeerWISE

A volunteer (volunteer uniform and ID badge) can: 

  • Provide play activities for kids and respite support for parents 
  • Help finding your way around the hospital
  • Learn more about our volunteers

Get more information about the resources and support available to patients and families through the Family Services Department.