Make an Appointment
To schedule a procedure, please call 202-444-4214.
Our Program
Our full-time sedation service, led by pediatric intensivists, provides sedation for non-invasive to minimally invasive procedures lasting a few minutes to several hours. Our team consists of highly skilled pediatric sedation nurses and child life specialists that deliver care to over 1,000 children per year.
We assess the level of sedation needed and develop a plan of care for each child on an individualized basis. Our goal is to minimize the pain and emotional stress of treatment for the child while also supporting their family. We are dedicated to promoting safe, high-quality pediatric procedural care and take pride in our ability to accommodate scheduling requests with a minimal waiting period.
Procedures that May Require Sedation
The Pediatric Procedural Sedation Service at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital provides sedation for any medical procedure or test that is painful or anxiety-producing. The service includes elective procedures and both inpatients and outpatients. It is commonly used for:
- Computed Axial Tomography (CT) Scans
- EEG
- Bronchoscopies
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Endoscopy (EGD, Colonoscopy)
- VCUG
- Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scans
- Bone Marrow
- Aspirations/Biopsies
- Lumbar Punctures
- Bone Scans
- Liver/Kidney Biopsies
- Radiation Treatments
- Cyberknife
- Skin Biopsies
- Botulism Toxin
- Injections
- PICC Line Placements
- Dressing Changes
- Hearing Evaluations (Auditory Brainstem Response)
- Interventional Radiology Procedures
Meet the Team
Attending Physicians
- Heidi J. Appel, MD
- Keisha Bell, MD
- Megha Fitzpatrick, MD
- Gabriel Hauser, MD
- Jahee Hong, MD
Nursing Staff
- Unique Dilworth, RN
- Michelle Eaton, RN
- Ashley Reeves, RN
Scheduling Coordinator
- Stephanie Medley
Child Life Specialists
Certified child life specialists help to reduce the stress and anxiety that many children experience in healthcare settings. Our child life specialists incorporate various distraction techniques and positions of comfort to optimize our patients’ and families’ experiences. If you would like to speak with a child life specialist prior to your child’s procedure, please call 202-444-3037.