UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital starts renovations on pediatric patient care areas

UF Health leadership celebrated the start of a $30 million+ floor-to-ceiling renovation to pediatric patient rooms and medical-surgical areas at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital Thursday morning.

The updates involve units 44 and 45, which will be completely overhauled and converted to private rooms featuring ensuite restrooms and updated examination areas.

“This renovation will result in transformative changes in the environment for our patients and staff,” said Rashmin C. Savani, M.B., Ch.B., chair of the department of pediatrics in the UF College of Medicine. “With a complete rethinking of our approach to family-centered care, a collaborative way for our teams to interact and establishing a healing environment, we aim to enhance the already outstanding care we provide.”

Home to the area’s first pediatric emergency room, UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital provides care in more than 20 pediatric specialties and serves as a destination for patients dealing with complex medical issues that require specialized attention. All additions focus on providing outstanding and high-quality patient care.

Enhancements include:

• New room furnishings, including lighting, modern finishes and smart TVs
• New sleeper sofas and TVs in all patient rooms
• Additional family rooms where siblings and loved ones can enjoy a space away from the patient’s room, where physicians can meet with parents and loved ones can decompress
• A toddler playroom where infants can play, and Child Life specialists provide therapeutic activities
• A multipurpose room where teenagers and other children can socialize while Street Life and Child Life specialists provide therapeutic activities
• Updated lobbies on each unit
• Large collaborative space for care providers to maximize communication
• New nursing alcoves for patient monitoring
• Upgraded workspaces for fellows, trainee call rooms, breakrooms and locker rooms

“We are entering an exciting new chapter for UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital,” said Dave Hudson, M.S.N., R.N., NEA-BC, nursing associate vice president of women and children at UF Health Shands Hospital. “We appreciate the support of the hospital and the generosity of contributions that have made this goal a reality.”

The renovation will be complete within two years. Staff and nursing ratios will remain the same in both units and physician referrals will operate as usual, providing high-quality patient care.

“We will continue to focus on the quality of care and the comfort of our families and patients,” Savani said. “This is an exciting and much anticipated enhancement to UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital.

This project is made possible, in part, by generous contributions from the community and UF Health supporters. The $30 million+ total was funded by the hospital budget, state funds and private philanthropy, which includes more than $4 million from Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.