PICU
Medical abbreviation · Hospital
| Stands for | Pediatric intensive care unit |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
PICU stands for Pediatric intensive care unit, a hospital abbreviation.
Intensive care unit for infants beyond the newborn period, children and adolescents with critical illness or injury, such as severe asthma, sepsis, trauma or after major surgery.
Example: Transferred to PICU with status asthmaticus, on continuous albuterol.
Usage notes
Pronounced "pick-you". Most PICUs are in children's hospitals or large academic centers, and critically ill children are often transferred there. Family-centered care, including parents staying at the bedside and attending rounds, is standard practice.
Related abbreviations
More hospital abbreviations
- OR – Operating room
- PACU – Post-anesthesia care unit
- PASS – Pull, aim, squeeze, sweep
- PCMH – Patient-centered medical home
- PCU – Progressive care unit
- PGY – Postgraduate year
- PPE – Personal protective equipment
- QI – Quality improvement
- RACE – Rescue, alarm, contain, extinguish
- RHC – Rural health clinic
- RRT – Rapid response team
- SCN – Special care nursery
See all 89 hospital abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.