Tips for Parents and Visiting Guidelines

Visitors can be good medicine for patients! We know that parents will partner with us to ensure that a positive, healthy, and safe environment is maintained for our patients here at Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

Parents are considered part of the healthcare team and are always welcome. We encourage at least one person to stay in the room with your child to help decrease your child’s anxiety and fear of being in a hospital.

General Visiting Hours for Guests

8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

General Guidelines

Guests are asked to wear identification wristbands and or badges at all times. Please return to the Information Desk or the Admitting office if you do not have one or need one replaced.
The number of guests should be limited to no more than four (4) at a time. We have a family area on each floor that can be used by additional guests while they wait for their turn to visit.
We welcome the comforting presence and support of parents during a child’s hospitalization; therefore we allow one parent/guardian to stay overnight. Sleeper chairs are provided for your comfort.
Help us keep our patients safe from further risk of infection. Family members or friends who are sick with sore throats, colds, fever, diarrhea, or other infectious illnesses should stay at home until they are well. We ask that you help us to ensure that all guests wash their hands before and after their visit with your child.
Young visitors are welcome to visit the patient in his/her hospital room or in the family area. Parents are welcome to get games or toys from the play area to be used in the patient’s room or family area.

Siblings: Siblings may visit on the Nursing Floors after passing a health screen.

Non- Siblings: Children 5-12 years may visit on the Nursing Floors after passing a health screen.
Visiting children over the age of 12 are not required to complete the young child health screen and may visit in any area.
With the exception of parents, guardians, and grandparents, visits should be kept short and meaningful. We know parents will help us maintain a quiet environment to prevent your child from getting overwhelmed or over tired which can in turn delay the healing process.
Patients may be on special diets or may be restricted from eating for periods of time. Please help these patients manage this sometimes difficult time by limiting food or drink in the room.
There may be a time when you will, be asked to step out of the room for a short period of time during special tests, treatments, when the doctors or nurses need to assess the patient, and during medical rounds.
If your child is in isolation, or has been admitted to one of our Intensive Care Units, there may be additional visiting guidelines. Please speak with your nurse about anything additional you may need to know.

Tips for Visitors

Driscoll C.A.R.E.S. about patients and visitors.
Help us play it safe!
General Visiting Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Courtesy:

A little visit goes a long way! Watch for signs of fatigue that show a child or family needs some time alone to rest.
Mind the crowd. Make sure your visit is memorable by waiting outside the room if there are several guests inside. Please, no more than 4 people at a time.
Food is not always good! Please check with the patient’s nurse before tempting a patient with food or snacks or bringing food into the room.

Attitude:

Put on a happy face. Your visit can be good medicine- keep it positive!
Work with the healthcare team. Please know our requests are in the best interest of all the children here at Driscoll; please help us by following requests.

Responsibility:

Privacy is everyone’s privilege. Be sure to knock or ask a nurse before you enter a room when the child’s door is shut. If you recognize a patient or family in the hospital, please keep this information to yourself and not share with friends or family.
Have you been feeling sick lately? People with an illness, even as minor as a sore throat, cold or diarrhea, should not come into the hospital. We will be happy to deliver a card or gift from our gift shop instead!
Keep it clean. Hands must be washed before and after each visit.

Environment:

Bringing a gift? Choose a book or toy as a gift instead of a live plant or flowers. If bringing a balloon, make sure it is made out of Mylar instead of latex. You can find a wide variety of Mylar balloons in our gift shop!
Safety first! Visitors must wear a visitor pass at all times.

Siblings and young friends:

Health screens. Siblings under age 12 and other visiting children between ages 5-12 may visit in the patient’s room after passing a health screen.
No visiting. To keep all children safe and healthy, no children under age 12 can visit patients in special isolation.
Close supervision. Children under age 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Children must be monitored closely and depending on the needs of the patient, may be asked to visit at a later time.
Sorry! Visiting children may visit in the patient’s room or in one of our waiting areas only. Please help us keep visiting children out of the playrooms- they are for the hospitalized children only.
Intensive Care Units: Please visit with the patient’s family in the waiting area.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation!