Educational services and school programming are provided to school-aged patients admitted to the University Hospital, the Penn State Children’s Hospital and the University Hospital Rehabilitation Center.
Different levels of educational interventions are provided to the inpatients depending upon their cognitive and educational status, the reason for their hospital admission, the length of their admission, and the medical unit to which they are admitted.
Pediatric Rehabilitation Unit
Patients admitted to the Pediatric Rehabilitation Unit are involved in a comprehension rehabilitation program, which may last from several days to many weeks. The unit includes children with traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, neuro-developmental disabilities, and ventilator dependency.
General Psychiatry Unit
Adolescent inpatients on the General Psychiatry Unit are typically junior or senior high school students who may be admitted for brief or extended inpatient hospitalization for therapy and treatment. The primary educational goal for their admission is to provide instruction to help the students maintain progress on the objectives of their home school curricula.
Child Psychiatry Unit
Children presently in K4 to 8th grade are admitted to the school program on the Child Psychiatry Unit for diagnosis and education. The educational program includes instruction to maintain progress in the students’ home school curriculum. Each classroom teacher is a member of the unit treatment teams. The classroom teacher is a member of the treatment team assigned to the patient.
Pediatric Unit
The Penn State Children’s Hospital Pediatric Unit serves school-age patients on the general pediatric wings. Patients are seen in the classroom or at bedside.