Sedation Services

PICU Sedation Team, from left: Jill Cholette, Myke García, Natalie Wilson, Kate Ackerman, Andrea Hinkle, Briana Scott, Elise van der Jagt.
Not shown: Michele Smith.

The Pediatric Critical Care Sedation Service consists of 8 sedation-credentialed Pediatric Intensivists, one Pediatric Sedation Advanced Practice Provider, a Pediatric Nurse Navigator, Child Life and a dedicated team of specially trained sedation nurses. The service provides sedation support for inpatient and outpatient pediatric procedures, primarily moderate and deep sedation but also minimal and nitrous oxide sedations. The sedation service currently performs approximately 1200 sedations/year for a number of service lines including burn surgery, hematology/oncology, radiology, cardiology, developmental & behavioral pediatrics, rheumatology, hospital medicine, and our primary care community. Sedations are provided 7 days a week and support Golisano Children’s Hospital and Children throughout the University of Rochester Medical Center. The sedation service actively participates in the Pediatric Research Consortium, presents research and is active with the Society for Pediatric Sedation, and is committed to quality improvement including becoming a Center of Excellence in Sedation.

The vast majority of sedations take place in the 8-bed Sedation Suite on the Ground floor of GCH, but sedation services are also provided in the Imaging Center for CT/MRI/VCUG/fluoroscopy and IR procedures and in the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology outpatient Treatment Center. The Sedation Suite includes, in addition to the pre-procedure and recovery rooms, a large procedural room with all the necessary lighting and equipment for procedures and resuscitation.

Jill Cholette, M.D., Medical Director

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Jill Cholette received her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College and completed medical school and Internal Medicine/Pediatric Residency at the University of Rochester. She is a double-boarded pediatric cardiac intensivist who completed her Pediatric Cardiology and Pediatric Critical Care Fellowships at the University of Rochester. Her primary clinical research interests are in patient blood management, blood conservation and modification, and coagulation and hemostasis. She is on the executive committee of the PALISI BloodNet subgroup and on the Society for the Advancement of Blood Management (SABM) research committee. She is the medical director of the PICU and is the Chief of the Division of Pediatric Critical Care.

Kate Ackerman, M.D.

Dr. Kate Ackerman is a pediatric intensivist with special interest in sedation and genetic mechanisms of diseases causing severe illness in early life. She completed medical school at the University at Buffalo, pediatric residency at Denver Children’s Hospital, critical care fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital, and a research fellowship in genetics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School. She is well known for her work on mouse models and mechanisms of congenital diaphragmatic hernia. She currently directs the residency research track at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and facilitates translational research in genetics. She is Vice Chair of Innovation and Integration for Golisano Children’s hospital, working to advance clinical care, research, and initiatives that cross multiple Departments at the University of Rochester.

Elise van der Jagt, M.D., M.P.H.

Dr. Élise van der Jagt is a pediatric intensivist, pediatric hospitalist, and a specialist in pediatric procedural sedation. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and pediatric residency, general Academic Pediatric Fellowship, and Master’s in Public Health at the University of Rochester Medical Center/School of Medicine. His educational interests include simulation and pediatric resuscitation. He directs the URMC Pediatric Advanced Life Support Program. He currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer for Golisano Children’s Hospital Regional Health Operations and is developing an integrated pediatric telemedicine program throughout Western New York.

Mykael García, M.D., M.S. Ed.

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Myke García is a native of Rochester, NY. He received his B.S. in Biochemistry from Boston College, and his M.D. from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Myke went on to complete his Pediatric Residency and Pediatric Chief Residency at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, PA. He returned to Rochester where he completed his Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at Golisano Children’s’ Hospital, and his M.S. in Health Professions Education from the University of Rochester Warner School of Education and Human Development. Myke is the Assistant Program Director of the Critical Care fellowship program. Myke’s academic interests are focused on improving medical education through adult learning preferences, education theory, and the incorporation of innovative teaching methods.

Andrea Hinkle, M.D.

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Andrea Hinkle received her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and her medical degree from Brown University. She completed her internship at the Albert Einstein/Montefiore Medical Center, residency at Boston City Hospital, and pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at Children’s National Medical Center. She is double- board certified in pediatric critical care and hematology/oncology. Dr. Hinkle was a faculty member in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Rochester until joining the Critical Care Division upon completion of her fellowship in pediatric critical care at the University of Rochester. Dr. Hinkle’s primary academic interest is in education, and she serves in multiple roles at all levels of medical education including course director in the medical school, divisional education representative for the pediatric residency program, and fellowship director for the pediatric critical care fellowship.

Briana Scott, M.D.

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Briana Scott earned her B.S., M.S., and M.D. from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. She completed pediatric residency and pediatric critical care medicine fellowship at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Between residency and fellowship Briana spent time working on an inpatient pediatric transplant and cellular therapy unit and later within a neonatal intensive care unit. Her academic interests include anticoagulation management and blood transfusions among critically ill patients, including those supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Michele Smith, M.D.

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Michele Smith received her B.S. in Biology from Siena College and graduated from the University at Buffalo Jacob's School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She completed her Pediatric Residency and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship at New York-Presbyterian Hospital / Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Her clinical research interests involve better defining the role of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) in disease processes such as asthma and bronchiolitis. Additionally, she is interested in investigating novel interfaces for the delivery of NIPPV to pediatric patients. Her other academic interests include medical education and simulation. Outside of the hospital, Michele enjoys exploring new restaurants, being outdoors, and spending time with her husband and daughter.

Natalie Wilson, M.D.

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Natalie Wilson earned her B.S. at Portland State University, and her M.D. at Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine. Natalie completed her pediatric residency at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, VT and went on to a Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine where she also was Chief Fellow. Natalie’s academic interests are in graduate medical education and point-of-care ultrasound, and she has done research measuring functional outcomes as standard of care in pediatric critical illness. Outside the hospital, Natalie enjoys gardening, cooking, and spending time with her husband and one-year-old son.

Shaina DePaul P.A.

Shaina DePaul is a pediatric physician assistant with experience in general pediatrics, adult critical care, and most recently pediatric critical care. She completed her undergraduate degree at Villanova University and her Master's of Physician Assistant Studies at Drexel University in Philadelphia. After graduation, she moved to New York City where she worked as a pediatric physician assistant in the Newborn Nursery and Pediatric Intensive Care Units at New York Presbyterian Hospital - Weill Cornell Medical Center. After her first few years splitting time between both units, she began working full time in the PICU and became the Lead PA for Pediatric Critical Care. After 7 years in New York, she returned to her hometown of Rochester, NY with her husband and daughter to be closer to family and continue her pediatric PA career in pediatric sedation. She recognizes the value of a dedicated, inclusive pediatric sedation team to provide the best possible care and outcomes for the pediatric patient population and is thrilled to be a member of the team at Golisano Children's Hospital in her new role. 

PICU Sedation Nursing Team

Jen Natoli M.S., R.N.

Nurse Navigator - Jen earned her nursing degree at Monroe Community College, completed her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Rochester, and went on to complete her Master’s in Nursing Education also through the University of Rochester. She comes to the sedation team with 12 years of nursing experience in pediatrics, including the Pediatric ICU. She spent many years in a case management role in pediatrics, managing patients with complex medical issues. Her expertise in critical care and case management brings a new perspective to the sedation team to coordinate care for the pediatric population in our community. She works with an interdisciplinary approach to arrange the safest sedation plan for our patients.

David Sergeant R.N., M.S.N.

Nurse Manager - Dave Sergeant received his nursing degree from the University of Rochester. He completed his master's degree in Nursing Leadership and Administration. He has worked as a nurse in a variety of roles including Pediatric Cardiac Care Center, Pediatric Transport, and Pediatric Clinical Resource nurse prior to joining the Imaging and Sedation Suite as the Nurse Manager.