You can expect that you/your child will be hospitalized anywhere between 7 and 14 days depending on their symptoms. Please plan accordingly.
The Emergency Room
Sometimes, illness strikes quickly and you cannot wait for a clinic visit. Both the pediatric and adult programs have an on call services 24 hours per day, 7 days per week for anyone who cannot wait for normal business hours to speak to a physician. In some cases, the emergency room is necessary. When this happens, please make sure to call the pulmonary service ahead of time to let us know you are on your way. We can reach out to the emergency room clinicians and help prepare them for your arrival and what might be needed. Please be advised that if you are over 21, you may be sent to the adult ER even if you are still followed in the pediatric program. As long as we know you are coming, your primary pulmonlogist will make sure you are admitted under the correct services.
It is also important to inform the clinicians in the ER that you have CF and should be in contact isolation while in the ER. Wait times can be long even within the emergency room so contact isolation is important.
Admitting
If you are admitted during normal work hours (9am to 5pm) you will be admitted into the hospital through the clinic. Should you arrive at the hospital after normal hours, you will need to be admitted through the Emergency Room in the Main Hospital. One of the clinic staff will make the ER staff aware that you will be arriving. You will go through the ER process as if you are a “regular patient”. Meaning you will need to see a triage nurse to go through a brief medical history, you will be given a patient ID bracelet and you will be seen by the on-call ER doctor prior to being given a main room.
PICC Lines
Please be aware that a PICC line will need to be inserted into your [child’s] arm to administer some of the IV antibiotics. Not all blood draws can be done through the PICC line. If you will be receiving sedation for the picc line, you must be fasting for 8 hours before the procedure (no eating OR drinking - even water). Plan your eating schedule accordingly prior to arriving to the hospital. Please click here for more information on PICC lines.
Often, our patients will go home to complete your IV therapy. When this happens, we will work with the home care company to manage your medications and maintain your picc line. Weekly blood draws will also be done at home and sent to our office. Your nurse will work closely with you in these situations to help you manage your care at home.
Contact Isolation
You/your child will have a private room and will be on contact isolation which means once admitted into your main room all hospital staff (doctors, nurses and pulmonary staff) should wear blue gown & gloves prior to entering you/your child’s room. This also means that CF patients are not permitted in the play room or the teen room. Any time you/your child leaves the room, you must wash your hands and wear a mask. This is for the protection of other patients as well as your [child’s] protection.
Enzymes
Enzymes can be kept in your room for convenience as CF patients will need to eat three meals and three snacks every day.