Family and Visitor Information

We are committed to providing an environment that supports our philosophy of caring and healing for both our patients and their families. We are here to help you and your family during this difficult time.

Getting to the hospital

At the hospital

Hospital amenities

Staying in touch

Lodging

Policies and resources

At the hospital

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.

Your child’s room also has a bedside table, a storage closet, 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 addition, 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.

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.

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 5 years old or younger, 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 is entirely smoke-free – inside and out – a policy which began July 1, 2008.

Tablet being used in a pharmacy by health care worker

Pavilion pharmacy

Located in the Pavilion on the first floor of the hospital (Room 1P175).

8 a.m. – 7 p.m. weekdays
9 a.m. – 6 p.m. weekends and holidays

Phone: 916-703-6100

View all pharmacy services

Cafe dining options

Our cafeteria, located on the hospital’s first floor, is open seven days a week from:

6 a.m. – 8 p.m.
11 p.m. – 12 a.m.
1 – 4 a.m.

Learn more about dining options

Staying in touch

To keep families connected and help promote your child’s health and healing, family members can now join in on video visits with patients at the hospital and their patient-care team.

Find out more about family video visits

When trying to stay connected with friends and families through any health care journey, social networks can make communication easier. The greatest source of support can be your family and friends. Many resources are available to share your story and your child’s progress, while keeping your information and your social media communications protected. Below are some suggested sites and ways to stay in touch.

Caring Bridge

Create a personal Caring Bridge website to share health updates, photos, and videos with the people who care about you.

You are able to select the privacy settings (private or public)
Your personal website is designed to seek support from your family and friends, and provide updated information on your child’s progress

Facebook Groups

Create a personal page or group for your child’s health journey to share information, updates, and/or photos.

Members can be added or deleted at any time by you as the creator of the group
You are in control of the privacy settings

Closed group (only those invited by group members can join)
Secret group (only those in the group can see the page)
Open group (public page)

Meal Train

Create a personal page to organize your family’s needs.

Family and friends can sign up to provide meals to your family at times that are convenient for you
Each Meal Train has a unique web address for you to share
Only those with that address will have access to participate
Options for organizing multiple meals, rides, childcare, household chores, etc.

Please know that our staff is encouraged to not participate on social media sites with their patients and their families. Although you may develop strong relationships with the staff caring for your child, this keeps in line with the UC Davis Health social media policy.

Download social media information and security tips (PDF)

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.

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
4301 X Street
Sacramento, CA 95817