The Level I pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital provides the highest level of medical care for seriously ill or injured children in central and northeastern Pennsylvania and beyond. 

Equipped with the latest technology, it is staffed by fellowship-trained pediatric critical care specialists, surgeons and subspecialists, as well as pediatric critical care nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, therapists and other health professionals who serve the unique needs of children 24 hours a day. 

The PICU provides young patients with healthcare that equals or surpasses that of the best dedicated children’s hospitals anywhere in the country. Since 1981, the professionals at Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital have been saving lives and helping children get back to their families, schools and playgrounds as quickly as possible. 

The hospital’s Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) offers the highest possible level of intensive care for newborns with complex medical conditions or those who require surgery. 

It is staffed by fellowship-trained neonatologists and more than two dozen pediatric specialists and subspecialists. The neonatologists here are board certified and work closely with our pediatric specialists and pediatric surgeons — something families can’t always find at neonatal units that are not in major city hospitals. 

NICU teams at Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital are available 24/7 to care for babies born prematurely or who face a wide range of life-threatening conditions. For babies who are most at risk, our Level IV NICU is a safe place to recover and thrive. 

Child Life specialists at Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital are dedicated to making a child’s time with us more understandable and less intimidating.

Members of the Child Life team can help explain procedures and the medical equipment used at the hospital. They’ll help children cope with pain, discomfort or anxiety.

They also plan age-appropriate activities for children and siblings, including pet therapy, shows by visiting performers, movies and other special pastimes. The team can also help caregivers deal with the social and emotional impact illness may have on the extended family. To inquire about services, call 570-271-5661.

The Ronald McDonald House of Danville is a privately owned nonprofit corporation located on the Geisinger Medical Center campus. The Ronald McDonald House of Danville is a home away from home for families of hospitalized children or those receiving extensive outpatient care for cancer and other illnesses in area hospitals.

Geisinger PrayerNet is a website offering patients and their families comfort, support and prayer from a network of volunteers around the world. With PrayerNet, it’s easy to request prayer, share your prayer requests with loved ones around the world or pray for others. The site is free to use, nondenominational and respectful of patient and family privacy. 

Family and friends are encouraged to visit patients during their hospital stay. There may be some restrictions based on the patient’s safety, well-being or medical condition.

For the welfare of patients, the nursing staff may request that visitors leave a patient room at any time. Patients may also request the restriction of visitors simply by notifying the nursing staff.

Guidelines are outlined below:

Children in the hospital

• Two healthy designated visitors (parents, guardians or designated caretakers) age 18+ can have 24/7 access.
• Visiting hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Four total visitors are allowed at one time.
• Healthy children are welcome but should be closely supervised by an adult.
• Child visitation rules may change if community levels of RSV, flu or other viruses are high.

Labor and delivery

One primary support person/significant other will have 24/7 access the entire time the patient giving birth is in the hospital.

Visiting a patient who’s about to give birth (e.g., in labor)

• Three total designated visitors (wearing a band) are allowed.
• Visitors must be age 18+, except in special circumstances.

Visiting a patient who’s given birth*

• Visiting hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Four total visitors are allowed at a time.
• Healthy children are welcome.
• Sibling visitation rules may change if community levels of RSV, flu or other viruses are high.

*Patient must be stable and at least two hours past delivery.

Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)

• Two designated visitors will receive a band and have 24/7 access.
• Three visitors are allowed at one time (one must be a designated visitor).
• Healthy siblings age 12+ are welcome.

Visitation and illness

If the newborn has a contagious illness, visiting is limited to the two designated visitors.

The entire Geisinger Medical Center campus, including Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital, is a tobacco-free environment.

Geisinger prohibits the possession or carrying of weapons and firearms/handguns within all Geisinger owned or leased facilities and parking lots, as well as in the performance of all employment duties, including off-site patient visits. This prohibition includes private citizens and staff members with carry permits. Lethal weapons are defined as any weapon, firearm, handgun or other device calculated to inflict serious bodily injury or death. Knives with a blade length greater than three inches are considered weapons under this policy.