The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at the First Hospital of Jilin University stands as the province’s earliest-established and largest independent department dedicated to pediatric intensive care medicine. It operates as a premier center for specialized medical care, education, and research in this field within Jilin Province. Recognized as a key discipline in Changchun, the PICU is also an accredited discipline for master’s and doctoral programs in pediatrics.

Professor Li Yumei, the academic leader of the PICU, is a chief physician and doctoral supervisor who directs the Children’s Medical Center at the First Hospital of Jilin University. She also chairs the Pediatric Quality Control Center for Jilin Province and leads the Pediatric Alliance of Jilin Province. Moreover, she is recognized as a national clinical key specialty leader. Her accolades include the Soong Ching Ling Pediatric Medicine Contribution Award, ‘Famous Doctor of Changchun City,’ among others. Professor Li’s academic contributions are extensive, holding positions such as a council member of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, a standing committee member of the Pediatricians Branch, Vice President of the Pediatric Critical Care Physicians Branch, and a member of the Pediatrics Branch of the Chinese Medical Association. She further contributes to the academic community as an editorial board member of the Chinese version of ‘Pediatric Critical Care Medicine’ (PCCM), ‘Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,’ ‘Chinese Pediatric Emergency Medicine,’ and ‘Chinese Journal of Practical Pediatrics’.

The department boasts a dedicated medical staff of 80 professionals, comprising a team of 21 physicians. This team includes 2 chief physicians, 4 associate chief physicians, 6 attending physicians, and 9 resident physicians. The nursing staff is robust, with 59 members, led by 1 chief nurse and 3 associate chief nurses. The department is also home to 1 doctoral supervisor and 3 master’s supervisors. The department features 2 ward areas with a total of 30 open beds. It is well-equipped with advanced medical technology, including 3 ECMO devices, 11 blood purification machines, 2 hemoperfusion machines, 27 invasive ventilators, 5 transport ventilators, 16 non-invasive ventilators, 3 electronic bronchoscopes, and 50 multi-functional electrocardiogram monitors. Additionally, the department is outfitted with a comprehensive array of emergency monitoring devices. 

The PICU excels in the specialized care of critically ill children suffering from internal medicine diseases, as well as those in the peri-operative phase of surgical treatment. The department has honed distinct areas of expertise, particularly in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) technology, blood purification techniques, perioperative management of pediatric liver transplantation, and critical care rehabilitation. These advanced capabilities place the PICU at the forefront of national medical care, effectively addressing several technical gaps within Jilin Province.

The department has successfully undertaken over 50 national and provincial-level scientific research projects, and has published more than 160 academic papers, with over 60 included in the SCI. Its research endeavors have been recognized with 1 Third Prize of Scientific and Technological Progress of Jilin Province, 2 Education Technology Achievement Awards of Jilin Province, and 4 Medical Achievement Awards from Jilin University.

In the field of education, Professor Yumei Li has made significant contributions by compiling 4 national planning textbooks and serving as the deputy editor for ‘Emergency and Critical Care Medicine in Pediatrics’. Her editorial prowess is further demonstrated through her roles as the deputy editor of ‘Pediatrics’ in the Resident Training Question Bank of Chinese Medical Education, the deputy editor of ‘Pediatrics’ in the Ideological and Political Case Bank of Chinese Medical Education, and a standing committee member of the PBL Case Bank of Pediatrics at the People’s Medical Publishing House. The department has successfully secured nearly 30 teaching projects.

The department’s exceptional performance has been widely recognized with numerous accolades, such as the “March 8th Red-Banner Collective” award from Changchun City, the “Excellent Nursing Service Collective” award from Jilin University, and the “Excellent Collective in Medical Ethics Evaluation” award from the First Hospital of Jilin University. In addition, the PICU has been consistently honored as the “Model Collective of Women’s Civilization of Jilin University” for nine consecutive years. 

The entire medical staff of the PICU remain steadfast in their commitment to the motto “Caring for life with love and winning trust with sincerity.” Equipped with their exceptional medical skills, they are dedicated to providing the utmost quality of medical care to all patients with unwavering devotion!