Infusion Center Tips and Guidelines

The Infusion Center care team wants you and your child to have a safe and pleasant visit. These tips can help you prepare for your time with us. We can answer any questions you might have.

Privacy and comfort for all

• If giving a medicine or blood product will take more than 2 hours, the nurse will place your child in a bed.
• To protect your privacy, only health care providers can go behind the counters.

Infection control 

• We offer snacks in the Nutrition Center for Infusion Center patients. To control infection, the health care team will bring you snacks from the refrigerator and blankets from the warmer.
• The care team knows that family members want to be with their children. Space is limited in the Infusion Center. Please understand that sometimes the care team may limit the number of people in a room.
• For each patient’s safety, please do not lie on the stretchers if you are not a patient.
• You can eat and drink in the Infusion Center. To protect our patients, please follow the hospital’s infection control and food safety guidelines.

Safety guidelines

• A nurse can connect and disconnect medicine only when your child is in the patient room or recliner.
• Children younger than age 2 must stay in a crib.
• Side rails must be up on all beds and cribs if you are not close enough to touch your child.
• The care team might ask you to store wheelchairs and other large equipment.
• Riding toys are not allowed in the Infusion Center.

Caring for your child during treatment

• The Infusion Center nurses depend on you to provide your child’s diaper changes, feedings, and other childcare activities.
• An adult caregiver must stay with each child in the Infusion Center. If you need to leave for a short time, a Helping Hands volunteer may be able to help.
• If you are unable to leave your child in the Infusion Center for meals, you may order food from room service.
  • A health care team member can place the food order.
  • You will need to go to the cafeteria, pay for the food, and return to the Infusion Center.
  • Care team members can sometimes sit with your child while you make a short trip to the cafeteria. 

To learn more about food options, visit the Places to Eat on Campus webpage.

Keeping your child occupied

• You can bring quiet toys and books to the Infusion Center.
• The Infusion Center has its own playroom. The child life specialist who runs the playroom can offer activities for your child.
• Please do not enter the playroom until your child has been called to the Infusion Center. This helps keep the playroom safe for all patients.
• When your child is using the Infusion Center playroom, please follow these guidelines:
  • An adult must supervise your child while in the playroom.
  • Food and drinks are not allowed in the playroom.
  • Your child must return to the patient room or recliner chair when the nurse connects or disconnects the medicine.
  • Please place any toys your child uses in the “dirty toy bin.” These toys will be cleaned before other patients play with them.

Learn more