Patient Confidentiality and Your Contact Information

Patient-care updates are generally given only to the parents/legal guardians of the patient. Parents/legal guardians may call the unit at any time to speak with their child’s nurse or doctor. Our pediatric team will share all information about the patient’s care with them.

To protect your child’s privacy, information will only be given to other family and friends with the permission of the parents/legal guardians. If you would like us to share information with other family members or friends, we utilize a personalized code number. Share this code number with those you choose to receive information. Callers with the number will have their questions answered. Callers without the number will be directed to call you for any information.

Please also remember that it is helpful if you designate one family member to relay information about your child to others. Multiple phone calls to the bedside nurse take time away from the care your nurse is providing to your child. The staff cannot discuss any information regarding other patients.

When you leave the unit, please make sure that the nurse has a phone number where you can be reached in case there’s a change in your child’s condition and we need to contact you.

Food and drinks

There is limited space for storing food from home in the acute-care pediatric units (3F/5W) and the PICU/PCTICU. If you would like to store a small amount of food, please wrap or seal the food and give it to a staff member to label and put in the unit’s refrigerator. For health and safety reasons, food left in the refrigerator for more than 72 hours will be discarded.

Your child’s food can be heated and served under the supervision of unit personnel. Food may not be reheated more than once. If your child is on isolation, we will not be able to take the food out of the room. Please remember that your child may be on a special diet, so check with his or her nurse before giving your child any food you bring from home.

Please note: the NICU does not have a refrigerator or freezer available to store food.