Sugar Glider – Medical Care is a specialist medical unit in The Royal Children's Hospital, where a multidisciplinary team cares for children and infants with a diverse range of acute and chronic illnesses.

The unit has four medical specialities: General Medicine, Respiratory Medicine, ENT and Neuro Developmental Disability.

Within these disciplines, Sugar Glider cares for a variety of clinical conditions such as Bronchiolitis, Croup and Asthma through to chronic conditions such as Cystic Fibrosis. Children who have had a tracheostomy are cared for on the unit. Sugar Glider is also home to children who require ongoing ventilatory support such as CPAP, BiPAP and full ventilation via tracheostomy.  In conjunction with the department of Respiratory Medicine sleep studies are conducted on this unit.

The unit staff are friendly, supportive, take pride in their clinical skills, and are committed to family centered care that seeks to minimise the effects of hospitalisation. Children whose admissions are prolonged or who have especially complex needs receive a modified primary nursing model of care led by our nurse coordinaters.

Registered nurses are supported and encouraged to practice autonomously and to participate in ongoing professional development. A unit education program compliments the hospital program and is developed by the clinical support nurses.

Sugar Glider staff are comprised of a dedicated team of nurses. Comprehensive orientation is available for new staff on the unit with additional support available for those wishing to make the transition from adult to paediatric nursing.

Sugar Glider – Medical Care also plays an important role in the support of undergraduate student nurse placements, the Graduate Nurse Program and students undertaking the Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing Practice – Paediatric stream.

Visiting

Up-to-date visitor access guidelines are available. Some restrictions on visitor numbers are in place due to COVID-19 – please check these carefully before you visit.

Sugar Glider vision

To provide the highest quality person centered care, professionally, with integrity and compassion.

Sugar Glider – Medical Care values:

• Autonomy, innovation and excellence in nursing practice
• Respect for ethnic, cultural, spirtual and social diversity
• Patient centered care within the context of family and community
• Accountability and advocacy in patient care
• Open, honest communication
• Teamwork
• Ongoing education and development in practice
• Evidence based clinical practice.