When your child is admitted, the admitting nurse will ask you about your child’s health history, including past illnesses and allergic reactions to medications and food. The admitting nurse will measure your child’s height, weight, temperature, pulse and blood pressure. The nurse and physician will perform a general physical exam, which can sometimes include additional tests.

Age determines how and when you tell your child about an upcoming hospital stay. Wait until a day or two before the hospital stay to tell a pre-school child because of his or her limited concept of time. Older children, however, should be given as much notice as possible. They should be encouraged to ask questions and participate in preparations.

Be honest. Answer all your child’s questions clearly and simply with age-appropriate information. You are the best judge of what your child can understand or is emotionally ready to handle. Typically, a child wants to know why he or she has to go to the hospital, how long she or he will stay, where you will be during his or her stay and whether anything will hurt. In answering these questions, avoid negative statements or denial. For instance, if pain is likely, emphasize that medicine will be given to make it feel better.

What if there is no time to prepare?
If your child is critically ill or injured, you may suddenly face this hospital experience with no time to prepare yourself or your child. We know that this is extremely stressful and confusing. We will do everything we can to help you and your child cope. Please remember:

• You are vital to your child as a source of reassurance, comfort and love. You also are an important advocate and spokesperson for your child.
• You are crucial to hospital staff as a source of information about your child’s health history and as a decision-maker in your child’s medical care.
• You may feel scared, angry, exhausted, frustrated, impatient, guilty, helpless and numb. It’s normal and okay to feel these emotions.
• You are not alone. We are here to help you, as well as your child. Please let us know what you need.

What TO bring to the hospital

• We will supply a hospital gown, but your child may feel more comfortable in clothes from home, such as a nightgown or pajamas, robe and slippers. You also may bring favorite belongings, such as toys, stuffed animals, photographs or a blanket. Please be sure to label personal property with your child’s name.
• Please bring medications and/or a list of medications that your child is taking. After your child is admitted and the medications have been noted on his or her record, please take the medication home.
• As long as your child is on a regular diet, family and friends are welcome to bring food from home. Ask your nurse where you can refrigerate and store your food. You are welcome to bring food from the cafeteria, located on the ground floor, to your child’s room.

What NOT to bring to the hospital

• Latex (rubber) balloons: Though colorful and cheerful, these balloons can be a serious safety and health hazard for children and staff, including life-threatening allergic reactions. Mylar (shiny, metallic) balloons are permitted.
• Non-medical electrical items: Check with your child’s nurse first before bringing radios, video games, curling irons or hair dryers to your child’s room.
• Cellular phones: The hospital does not allow cellular phones to be used inside the building.
• Valuables: If you cannot afford to replace an item, please do not bring it with your child.

Next to your child’s bed is a call bell attached to a long cord. If you need to call your child’s nurse, simply press the red button and someone will answer on the intercom to determine what you need. Your nurse will be notified by her beeper. The other buttons control the television and lights. Each bed is equipped with its own VCR. There are movies available at each nursing station.

Your child’s room also has a bedside table, a storage close, and a chair that converts into a bed. For safety, the bed or crib rails must be raised at all times. The bathroom and showers are for patient use only. Separate bathrooms are available for family members and visitors. A bathtub is also available for your child.

Because education is so important in both prevention and treatment, your nurse is a resource to assist you in understanding your child's illness and hospitalization. IN additions, we offer Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) in your children's room available 24 hours a day. There are a wide variety of topics you can view, ranging from "A Pediatric Welcome" video to "Car Seat Safety." We also offer an educational handout that you may find helpful.

The hospital serves meals around 8 a.m., 12 noon and 5:30 p.m. A daily menu is delivered to your child’s room that lets you choose what your child will eat the next day. See the dietitian for more details. If your child is on a regular diet, food also may be brought from home.

The playroom is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily except during meal times. The room offers toys, games and books. The hospital’s art and music therapists provide one-to-one opportunities for creative self-expression and diversion. Other activities include medical playgroups and story time. Volunteers oversee the playroom under the supervision of child-life specialists. The playroom is considered a procedure-free area. Children older than 12 may use the teen room, located in the center of the unit. Ask your child’s nurse for details.

It is extremely helpful to most children if a parent or relative who is older than 18 stays at his or her bedside. We hope your schedules permit this. We will make it as convenient as possible for you.

If your child is in the main pediatric unit, he or she may have you there 24 hours a day. A parent can even sleep at the bedside. The pediatric unit provides chairs that convert into beds.

Lodging

If you are from out of town, you may be eligible for low-cost lodging at the Kiwanis House or the Ronald McDonald House, located on the grounds of the UC Davis Children's Hospital. A new hotel, Courtyard by Marriott, is walking distance from the hospital and offers discounted rates for the relatives of hospitalized patients. For more information about these accommodations, please call Social Services at (916) 734-2583 (learn more).

Telephone

In the pediatric unit, each patient’s bedside has a telephone with its own number, which is posted in the room. When calling from outside the hospital you may dial this number directly between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. You may also call (916) 734-2011 and ask for your child’s room.

If you wish to speak to your child’s nurse, you may dial the nursing unit directly at (916) 703-3070. Patient information is considered confidential and will only be given to the parents or legal guardians of the hospitalized child. Please explain this to other relatives and family friends.

In-hospital dialing

• For local calls in the 916 area code, dial “9” plus the number.
• For toll-free calls, including 800, 888, 877, dial “9” plus “1” and the toll-free number.
• For long-distance calls, when calling collect, dial “0” and wait for an operator, or when using calling cards, dial “9” and follow the calling-card instructions.
• Remember, use of cellular or digital phones is prohibited inside the hospital.

Your child will enjoy receiving mail from friends and relatives. Send them to:

Your Child’s Name
Davis 7 Pediatrics
UC Davis Children's Hospital
2315 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817

The hospital cannot accommodate siblings overnight, but we do encourage them and your child’s friends to visit. For certain patients with siblings who are not able to visit them in the hospital, a two-way video unit may be available. Visiting hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Because many patients are at risk for infection, we ask the following regarding young visitors:

• They must check in with the bedside nurse before going into the patient’s room.
• They must be healthy and have no fevers, coughs, rashes or other common childhood illnesses.
• They must not have been exposed to chicken pox, measles or any other contagious disease within the last month.
• They must be supervised at all times.

For the safety of our patients, the pediatric floor is a locked unit. To enter, you must press the nurse button on the intercom just outside the door. A staff person will assist you with entering. If your child is younger than 1 year old or has other security issues, a monitored band (Acetic) will be placed on his or her arm or leg. This alarm alerts staff if patients wearing the bands are near the unit’s exit areas.

Smoking is not permitted inside UC Davis Children's Hospital or the Medical Center and within 20 feet of any building entrance. Alcohol and illegal drugs are not permitted. Because of our concern for the safety and health of our patients, staff and visitors, the medical center will be entirely smoke-free – inside and out – beginning July 1, 2008.

The parking structure is located on the first floor. We do not validate parking. You may obtain an extended parking pass at a reduced fee. These are available from the parking attendant in the parking structure. Visit the parking Web site for more information.