St. Jude Policies

Alcohol and Drugs

St. Jude is an alcohol-free and drug-free campus. Anyone with alcohol or under the influence of alcohol will be required to leave the campus. For the safety of our patients, families, and employees, the St. Jude staff has the right to remove anyone who is drinking alcohol or taking illegal drugs.

Cell Phones, Remote-Controlled Toys and Walkie-Talkies

Cellular phones, BlackBerryTM devices, and two-way radios (walkie-talkies) can cause problems with medical equipment. This includes camera phones. Signals from the phones, radios, and other devices can cause some critical machines to stop working or not work the right way. Machines used in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Surgery are the most sensitive. Do not risk harming your child or another patient. Please remember to turn off cell phones, two-way radios, and blackberry devices before entering the ICU patient rooms and the operating rooms on the third floor of the Patient Care Center.

Harassment

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will not permit or condone any form of harassment, including harassment based on sex, race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age or disability. St. Jude will not tolerate harassment of employees by a manager, co-worker, vendor, patient, patient family member or anyone else. If you or any member of your family feels harassed by a St. Jude employee or another patient family, please report this problem to the nursing coordinator. Call the hospital switchboard at 901-595-3300, and ask for the nursing coordinator.

Hospital Equipment (IV Poles)

Don’t let your child use an IV pole like a skateboard or scooter. Occasionally, a patient walking down the hall in the hospital will place one foot on the IV pole platform and coast down the hall. This activity can cause accidents that could damage the delicate IV pump or create serious injuries to your child and others. Please encourage your child to use care with IV poles and other hospital equipment.

Media visits

Patients and their families may not bring media representatives—print, television, radio or Internet—onto the St. Jude campus. All media representatives must obtain permission from St. Jude Public Relations before coming to the hospital. Call 901-595-3306.

At times, you may be asked to speak to the media. If you agree to do so, you will be asked to sign a release form.

Older St. Jude Patients

No matter what your age, if you are a St. Jude patient receiving treatment and staying in St. Jude-sponsored housing, you must have an adult caregiver staying with you. 

Patient Rights and Responsibilities

As a St. Jude patient, you have certain rights and responsibilities.

Perfume

Many St. Jude patients are highly sensitive to odors and become easily nauseated. Please remind your friends and family members that they should not wear perfume or cologne when they visit.

Personal Safety

Guest safety tips are included in section 13 of the Patient Family Reference Resource. The safety information offers ideas for protecting yourself, your child, and your personal possessions during your stay in Memphis. If you have safety concerns or problems while you are at St. Jude, call Security at extension 4444.

Privacy - Think Before You Speak

Do not openly discuss the details of your child’s or other children’s illnesses in public places, such as the cafeteria, on elevators or in the hospital shuttles. If new parents or other listeners overhear the details of illnesses, the information could be upsetting to them and could violate patient confidentiality.

Smoking

St. Jude is a smoke-free institution. No one can smoke in a St. Jude building under any condition, and no patient under the age of 18 is ever allowed to smoke. Smoking is allowed only in these marked areas outside the hospital:

  • Across the street from the south side of the ALSAC Tower, which is the building directly behind the Patient Care Center.
  • In the enclosed booth marked “Smoking” located near the 3rd street entrance to the St. Jude North parking lot, just west of the Translational Trials Unit (TTU)

Security officers have maps that show these smoking areas. Please respect those who do not smoke. If you must smoke, be careful to do so in marked areas only. Smoking, including passive smoking, is harmful to your health and our patients’ health. Smoking rules are strictly enforced. Please do not expose your children to smoking. Your child’s social worker can give you information about how to stop smoking.

Weapons

Weapons are not allowed at any St. Jude facility. In addition to the hospital, weapons are prohibited at Target House, Ronald McDonald House and the Memphis Grizzlies House. The rule against weapons includes everyone—even people who are licensed to carry weapons. The only exception is for on-duty law enforcement officers.

Your Other Children

During your visit to St. Jude, we encourage you to leave other children at home if you can. The St. Jude staff cannot provide care for your other children. We understand that separating a family during such a difficult time is hard, but our goal is to keep all your children safe and healthy.  Staff members in Social Work, Psychology, Child Life, and Nursing can offer ideas to help you deal with the needs of your other children. The patient will still need to talk to family members and friends often for comfort and support.

 


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