Typical hospital room.
Chairs in your child's room fold out so a parent or guardian can stay overnight.
Crib rails must be left up at all times.
Parents and guardians are welcome at all times. Visiting hours for friends and relatives are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Visitor's Guide
IN THE HOSPITAL
Being with your child
Fear of separation is a big concern for children of all ages, and being with your child in the hospital is an important part of the healing process. We encourage you to be with your child around the clock. If you can’t be with your child, a grandparent or other familiar, loving adult is the next best thing.
• Be sure to let your child know when you’ll be away, when you’ll be back, who to ask for help if needed, and who will be taking care of him/her while you are away.
• Children’s Family House, located around the corner from the hospital, is a low-cost home-away-from-home for families who live farther than 70 miles away. Ask us for details.
• Family Lounges are located on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors.
Your Child’s Room
Most patient rooms have two hospital beds, and most children will have a roommate. Each room has a chair-bed or window seat that can be used for overnight stays by a parent, guardian, or other designated adult.
Stop Patient Falls
• You’ll see that beds as well as cribs have side rails. For safety’s sake, crib rails must be left up at all times.
• Bedside rails are left up at night.
• Always use the safety strap on high chairs, strollers and wheelchairs.
• Please do not leave your child unattended in a high chair or window seat.
Most patients share a room with another child. Please be considerate of your roommate’s need for quiet when using the TV and phones. Because space is limited, please, no more than four visitors at one time.
TV
Our closed-circuit TV system provides entertainment, education, and information. There is also a portable entertainment unit, including videos, on each floor. Instructions for the TV are on the bedside table.
Phones
Your child’s room has a private phone line. To call outside the hospital, dial “9” and the number you are calling. There is no charge for local phone calls.
• Outside the local area, you will need to use a phone card. These are available in the hospital gift shop.
• If you have a cell phone, please note that there are some areas of the hospital where they cannot be used because cell phone signals may interfere with medical equipment. It’s okay to use cell phones in the Friendly Café, located on the second floor.
Fax
Faxes may be received during business hours at the Family Resource & Information Center, located on the second floor across from the Friendly Café. The fax number in the Family Resource & Information Center is 510-597-7024.
Mail Service
Kids love to receive mail. Mail should be addressed to:
Child’s Name
A patient in room #
Children’s Hospital Oakland
747 52nd Street
Oakland, CA 94609
Visitors and Visiting Hours
Visitors of all ages are welcome at Children’s Hospital Oakland. For your child’s safety, we require that visitors wash their hands, just as we do, before entering patient rooms.
• Parents and guardians are welcome at all times, day and night. Because space is limited, only one parent/guardian may spend the night in a child’s room.
• Friends and relatives, including brothers and sisters, may visit between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
• We don’t have space for young visitors and siblings to spend the night. Please make arrangements for the care of your child’s brothers and sisters.
• Because space is limited, please, no more than four visitors at one time.
• Child Life specialists are available to help prepare children to visit a sick or injured sibling: call 510-428-3520.
• Special guidelines for visiting the Intensive Care Nursery and the Intensive Care Unit are posted in those areas. Sometimes we may have to ask all visitors to leave temporarily so we can provide critical care to a very sick child. We appreciate your cooperation.
Brothers and sisters are welcome at Children’s. We’ll do a quick screening for colds and other contagious illnesses at the main entrance. We have a special sticker for kids to wear after screening. Please make sure that kids are supervised while in the hospital.
A Special Note for the Parents of Babies
Children’s Hospital Oakland strongly recommends breast milk for all babies. It’s the very best food for all babies, sick or well. Help from certified breastfeeding specialists is available at the hospital at no cost. If you are breastfeeding and your baby is unable to nurse, breast pumps are available. Please ask your child’s nurse, or dial 3137 for help from our specialists.
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