Providing the best care possible for the kids

Matt Swift, RN, CCRN
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Nurse
Penn State Health Children’s Hospital

With his calm presence in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), nurse Matt Swift provided much-needed comfort to the parents of critically injured Cameron Wamsher as they anxiously waited by his bedside.

“When parents come into a PICU, they have no choice but to trust another person to care for their child,” Matt says. “Words alone aren’t enough. You have to prove through actions that you have the knowledge to help their child recover.”

Care in the PICU is driven by the nurses who vigilantly monitor subtle changes in a patient’s condition, check vital signs, administer medications, respond to emergencies and collaborate closely with other members of the care team. They also are there to support the families through the emotional and physical strain of the experience.

“The PICU is an amazing unit. The people are so dedicated that it is hard not to live up to that standard,” says Matt, who served in the PICU for five years before moving to the hospital’s pediatric perianesthesia unit. “Everybody shares one goal, providing the best care possible for the kids.”