During your stay at UPMC Shadyside, you will meet many members of our care team. These include:
Physicians
We have the primary responsibility for your care while you are in the hospital. We also may consult a specialist if needed.
Nursing Staff: RNs
We are responsible for your overall care. We perform many skills to help you get well and will teach you about your medicine and other important information. Please ask us if you have any questions about your care. You may notice nurses using electronic devices, such as smart phones and computers. Rest assured they are reviewing clinical information about your care and are not conducting personal business. We wear ceil (sky) blue and/or white scrubs.
Patient care technicians and nursing assistants
Our primary function is to assist in your care. We will help you to the bathroom, take your vital signs, draw your blood work, and perform other special tasks with you. We wear hunter green scrubs.
Mid-Level providers (Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, and others)
We support the work of your doctors by assisting them with treating patients, performing procedures, and documenting your care. We may accompany your doctor or see you separately. In either case, our goal is to provide you with great care.
Housekeeping
We are responsible for cleaning your room each day. Our goal is to ensure that every patient room is kept clean at all times. If you have any special requests, please feel free to contact Housekeeping directly at 412-623-2112. We wear grey tops and black pants.
Health Unit Coordinators (HUC)
We provide clerical support by answering call bells and phones, and we use the computer to assist with your care. We wear business casual.
Respiratory Therapists
We give you breathing treatments and oxygen therapy if needed. We wear navy blue scrubs.
Technologists and Technicians
We serve a variety of roles at UPMC Shadyside that include providing you with x-rays, imaging exams, and some cardiac testing. Many of us wear royal blue scrubs, although this can vary by department.
Social Workers
We work with care managers, your nurses, and doctors to coordinate your plan of care before admission, during your stay, and after you leave the hospital. We wear business attire that may be accompanied by a white lab coat.
Care Managers
We are responsible for coordinating your care, working with your insurance company, and planning for your discharge needs to assure a safe transition out of the hospital. We wear business attire that may be