Skilled Nursing

The HSC Pediatric Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) is a nursing facility that provides services to children from birth through age 21. A stay can be recommended for many reasons, including:

• Your child is technology dependent and you require additional training and support
• Your child needs continuous care and their complex medical needs can only be met in a SNF setting with nursing and medical support.

The goals of the SNF are to provide the necessary care and services as long as your child needs them in a home like environment, to accommodate your child’s needs and help your child transition safely into your care at home, and to provide a home for your child as long as they require the level of care and services provided by the SNF.

On the day of the admission and upon your child’s arrival at HSC you will be greeted by the SNF nursing staff and provided with an orientation of the facility, room assignments, and be introduced to your child’s roommate.

You will also be asked prior to or on the day of admission to meet with a staff member from Collaborative Services to review the SNF’s Admission Agreement. The Admission Agreement includes the resident rights and responsibilities as determined by Federal and District of Columbia regulations.

The charge nurse with the help of the certified nursing assistant will conduct a complete assessment of your child, and will ask you questions as necessary to develop the initial basic care plan. The remainder of our clinical specialists will conduct their assessments within 72 hours of admission.

A comprehensive team assessment of your child will be completed within 14 days of admission. Within 7 days after the comprehensive assessment is completed, the clinical team will hold a care planning meeting with you and your child to develop a person-centered care plan.

You are welcome to request a care planning meeting at any time during your child’s stay by asking the SNF’s Social Worker or Director of Nursing.

We recommend you bring a seven day supply of clothing for your child, labeled with permanent marker, along with your child’s assistive equipment or devices such as walkers, wheelchairs, communication device, splints, orthotics, glasses, hearing aids, and crutches.

We recommend you bring items that will make your child’s stay more comfortable, such as a favorite toy. If you choose to bring a small piece of furniture, it must not interfere with the safety of your child or their roommate.

An inventory sheet will be started upon admission and must be updated by the care team every time an item is added to or removed from the room.

We have numerous amenities to make your child’s stay with us more comfortable.

Your child’s semi-private room will be equipped with a television, phone, bathroom, shower, and call bell. We have wireless internet available, along with optional laundry service.

Recommended visiting hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. but you and others of your choosing have access to your child 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

We also have communal amenities available for use, including:

• Dining Room/Play Room in the unit
• Hospital Cafeteria
• Outdoor Playground
• Parent lounge with a television, comfortable sofa, a table and chairs, microwave and a refrigerator.

Our physicians and nurse practitioners, nurses, and respiratory therapists are experienced and trained in caring for children with a wide range of medical needs. Along with our care team, we provide on-site specialty consultations in cardiology, pulmonology, gastroenterology and nutrition, ophthalmology, neurology, infectious disease and physical medicine by specialists from Children’s National Hospital.

If your child needs to go to appointments with referring or specialty providers, not at HSC, HSC will provide transportation, as well as staff to accompany your child. as needed. Parents/guardians are encouraged to accompany their child to doctor’s appointments.

Other clinical services offered on-site include:

• Basic Dental Exam
• Laboratory Services
• Pharmacy
• X-Rays.

Any additional tests and procedures that require off-site care will be scheduled by the team/case manager and transportation will be provided.

For more detailed information about specific services, please contact our admissions team at 202-635-6115.

We have other services to enhance your child’s quality of care and quality of life and those include the following:

• Rehabilitation therapy including occupational, physical and speech
• Psychology services
• Pool therapy
• Pet therapy
• Child life specialist services
• Recreational therapy
• Social Worker services
• Educational Services
• Spiritual Services
• Volunteer programs and activities.