Inova Children’s Hospital

I really, really wish I could give a better review because while the medical care is excellent the administration is horrible.
My daughter broke her elbow and needed surgery. We got to the ER at 2 PM. They were very attentive until they got the initial cast on her and then left us to languish for FIVE HOURS in the ER because of a «shift change» in the overnight rooms. I’m a nursing mom and my husband couldn’t bring my youngest for me to see and nurse her before my overnight stay because who wants to bring an infant into an ER?. It’s doubly upsetting for my poor five-​year-​old to listen to other kids scream for 5 hours. Really upsetting. Totally avoidable.
Once we got up to the overnight rooms I had to ask several times for really basic supplies because I would ask a nurse and they’d forget and I’d track them down lounging in the hallway chatting. No joke. I know they have very difficult jobs but they were very inattentive while we were there. I would give this hospital one star but the actual operation went well and I really respect Dr Amy Henning, who performed it.

5 stars for the NICU, 3.5 stars for the peds unit.
Our first son (born July 2013) was transferred to their NICU when he needed a heart-​related surgery. He had a total NICU stay of five months, four of which were spent here. The surgeons were all top-​notch. The nurses were incredible and made all the difference in the world. The doctors would answer all your questions without fail and actually offered you opinions when choices needed to be made (although sometimes I had to press them!) At the time, they used a system where you had a primary nurse, which we found very important — I’m not sure whether that’s changed. The training these nurses get must be amazing. They taught me how to care for my baby and they gave my baby the absolute best care available when I wasn’t around. I felt I could actually leave the NICU and know he was in the safest hands, that they’d do everything they could to keep him alive. My understanding is that the new unit (~2016) will have individual rooms for each family, which I believe studies have shown benefit the child. If I had to have a preemie in this area, this is where I’d want to be.
Our second son (born June 2015) was also premature but managed to skirt the NICU. Still, he was readmitted days later to the peds unit. My experience here was less stellar, but still good. I was used to the NICU, where I was dealing strictly with neonatalogists and never residents to speaking almost only with residents and occasionally attendings. I was then also dealing with folks who almost never had children as young or small as mine; their words, not mine! Many times they started responses to my questions by saying, well, we don’t usually have children this young. That said, the nurses were all sweet as can be and very responsive. The rooms were very comfortable and available in different sizes.

Don’t waste your time going to any other ER in the area. This is the place to go. My son received ER care for his broken arms at another INOVA hospital in the area only to be discharged and told to go the ER at FFX Hospital the next day. the level of care was miles beyond what he received at Mt. Vernon hospital. If we can spare the time to get there Fairfax hospital is where we will go for all future ER needs.

Granddaughter was delivered here this week and we were treated great. The only issue I have is the parking. You don’t get any kind of discount if your in labor and delivery and you spend days there. Also no other free parking available, paid parking only that only takes cash! Crazy, I guess your supposed to know when an emergency is going to happen and you have to stop at the ATM prior to heading over to hospital.
Everyone was great in labor and delivery-​Nurse Mona rocks!

Years ago, we were referred to this hospital for our youngest daughter, and their total care was outstanding. To the person, everyone was very professional and caring. Fast forward to week ago, we ended up taking our grandson, who is just under a year old, to the hospital for a consistent fever that wouldn’t break. They actually have a pediatric emergency room which makes a big difference. The pediatric emergency people were really wonderful. They took the time to talk to him and reassure him. Once admitted, the same thing happened. There were several doctors that came in to look at him and ask questions. Each one also took the time to explain what they are thinking and relaying their discussions they had with the previous doctors. The nursing staff also took the time to talk to him and were willing to come back when he was finally sleeping. They also have a staff we think was called child life which provides age appropriate toys and DVDs to play/​watch in the room. They also have a play area for the kids. In there they have various toys, coloring books, game consoles, etc. Absolutely a top notch place.

I had my first child there at the end of August. I was so impressed with the hospital and staff! Fairfax is almost 45 min away from my house with traffic and I had three other hospitals closer to me. I am so glad that I went with Fairfax. The nurses were exceptional, 5 of them are on my announcement list. I had an epidural by the time I had my 3^rd contraction. When I needed a c section, they explained to me why and showed me on the monitor what was happening. They gave me time to watch it for myself and were receptive to input that I had. (from what I can tell, whether you have a c section depends entirely on your doctor and not the hospital anyway.)
The food was way better than expected. They have a take out menu with everything from hummus, burgers,
Foreign favorites etc. you just call them up whenever your hungry and order. It’s delivered to you within 45 min. My husband stayed the whole 4 days with me, I would order the maximum
Amount of food allowed (a lot!) and he would share with me.
We did the baby and me amenities
Program to get a private room (cost– 25.00). We ended up with a double room but with no one else in it. That worked out perfect because Jon had an actual bed to sleep in and we had a lot of extra room.
The nurses and staff were incredibly detail oriented. By day 4, they knew me and everything about me, my husband and my baby. Yet every time they took the baby or gave him back, they checked our bracelets. When they gave me meds they always checked my information
And had me repeat it for them.
At one point, I was in a lot of pain and the pain meds weren’t cutting it. The nurse sat down with me
And discussed my options so that I could plan pain management but not have to take the heavier things with side effects.
I would highly recommend Fairfax hospital to anyone. Great Job guys!

State of the art facilities and wonderful attentive staff. FFX Hospital has one of the best NICU’s in the country.

This review is for the NICU because they have done an awesome job taking care of my niece (actually one of my bff’s daughters) that had to be delivered 2 months prematurely.
The staff in this unit are awesome, caring and just all around genuinely good hearted nurses, doctors, therapists and specialists that provide excellent medical care. My niece is making great progress and is due home any day now!

This hospital is definitely a first class organization. We just recently had our first child there and they definitely treated us with the utmost respect.
I HIGHLY recommend this hospital!

This is where I had my baby on Thanksgiving Day 2006. Thumbs up to this place! Other than trying to serve me a turkey dinner on my first night there, and then shutting every food source around us down, I loved this place! I really hated leaving all of the nice nurses (oh, and having every meal delivered to me, while I was lying in bed, watching tv, etc.). They are very veggie-​friendly (except for the little turkey mistake). You just have to let them know you are vegetarian. I think the turkey thing happened because my preferences hadn’t quite reached the kitchen yet. Every other meal there was edible. Oh, except for the oatmeal I had for for breakfast one morning. It wasn’t labeled, and I thought it was grits, so I poured alot of salt on it. Oh well. They have great apple juice! Yay, Fairfax!