Before You Arrive
Note! It is important that you take care of the items in the checklists below. Your help in following these instructions is critical to the successful scheduling of your child's surgery.
Please call the Children's clinic or community doctor who referred your child for surgery if you have questions.
- Important things to do once surgery is scheduled
- Important things to do the day before surgery
- Important things to bring
Important Things to Do Once Surgery is Scheduled
If your child is coming to Children's for a surgery or hospital stay, you will have some things to take care of beforehand.
If time allows, we suggest you begin checking off the following items at least a week before your child's arrival day.
1. Call your Insurance Company
Check with your insurance company to see if you need a second opinion for planned or elective surgery.
2. Schedule an Anesthesia Clinic Appointment (if needed)
Your child may need an Anesthesia Clinic appointment before her surgery. Call your Children's clinic scheduler (PCC) between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday if you have questions about the anesthesia your child will receive or if your child:
- Is less than 6 months old
- Is developmentally delayed
- Has a personal or family history of problems with anesthesia, surgery or bleeding
- Has a complex medical history
- Has custody or guardianship court orders
- Is not your biological child (or if you are not the legal guardian)
3. Arrange for Housing and Food
If your child is spending the night at Children's, one parent may sleep near your child. There is one sleeping chair in each patient room with two exceptions:
- Sleeping rooms for ICU parents are available through the ICU unit coordinator
- Parents of children in the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit should discuss sleeping options with their child's nurse
You can buy meals for yourself and other family members at the hospital cafeteria or at area restaurants and grocery stores.
4. Arrange Child Care
Child care is not available at Children's. Siblings, including babies who are breastfeeding, may not stay overnight in the hospitalized child's room with the parent.
Patient visiting hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Siblings may visit between these hours; children under 12 must be with an adult.
5. Arrange Housing and Transportation
If you are coming from out of town and need overnight housing in Seattle, or if you need DSHS transportation to and from the hospital, the following information will help you:
6. Take Care of Other Special Needs
Interpreter Services
Call (206) 987-5010 (Voice) or (206) 987-5063 (TTY) 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday
through Friday to arrange for a spoken or sign language interpreter at
no cost to you.
Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Services
Request TTYs, amplified telephones or closed-captioned televisions from
your child's nurse or Central Services on the 3rd floor. The hospital
has public telephones with TTYs.
A resource specialist for the deaf and hard-of-hearing can help families obtain services. Call the operator at (206) 987-2000 (Voice) or (206) 987-2280 (TTY) and ask to leave a message for the resource specialist.
Disability Access
Call the Greeter Desk at (206) 987-2260 if you need a wheelchair for your
child at the hospital entrance or if you have other questions about access.
7. Send Medical Records
If requested, ask your child's doctor(s) to send medical records, x-rays or test results to the hospital.
8. Get Insurance Authorization
Ask your insurance company if you need a managed-care referral from your child's primary doctor and/or pre-authorization for your child's hospital stay.
If you have questions about the authorization process, call Children's Insurance Processing Department at (206) 987-5757.
9. Fax Managed-Care Insurance Referral
If you do need a managed-care referral, ask your child's doctor to fax us at (206) 985-3297.
IMPORTANT: It is your responsibility to make sure that Children's receives the insurance referral at least two business days before your child's admission.
Call Children's Insurance Processing Department at (206) 987-5757 for additional information.
10. Apply for Financial Assistance
Find out more about financial assistance.
11. Ask Family or Friends for Support
Ask family or friends to help care for siblings at home, or to come visit your child at the hospital. Older kids' friends might bring their school work to them. Patient visiting hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (children under 12 must be with an adult).
People who are ill or have recently been exposed to someone with a cold, flu or other similar illness are asked not to visit. Learn more about visiting and gifts.
12. Let Us Know about Your Cultural or Religious Practices
Let the Children's clinic or community doctor who referred your child for admission know in advance if you require special food for your child.
If you have personal, ethical or spiritual values that may affect how we work together, we want to know. We will do everything we can to respect your wishes.
Learn more about the pastoral and spiritual care services we provide.
Important Things to Do the Day Before Surgery
1. Get Time of Surgery and Eating and Drinking Instructions
Please call the following number to find out when you need to arrive at the hospital and write the answers to the questions on the lines below.
(206) 987-2536 or (866) 987-2000 (toll free), extension 2536
- Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.
- Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
If you don't call, someone will try to call you. Your help in following these instructions is critical to the successful scheduling of your child's surgery.
Please note the following information:
- The time we need to arrive at the hospital
- The day and time my child can last eat solid foods and drink milk
- The day and time my child can last drink clear liquids (water, soda, clear juice-no pulp)
2. Check for Illness
Call the Anesthesia Clinic at (206) 987-2728 between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday if your child:
- Has a cold, flu or some other new medical problem
- Has been exposed to chicken pox or another similar illness within the last three weeks
- Is currently taking any medicines
Important Things to Bring
1. Insurance Cards
Bring your health insurance and prescription cards.
2. Medical Coupons
Remember coupons if your child is on Medicaid, DSHS, Healthy Options or Basic Health Plus.
3. Court Papers
Bring any legal papers giving custody or guardianship. If you are not a parent with legal custody, bring legal papers that allow you to admit your child to the hospital or consent to your child's surgery.
4. List of Medicines
Bring a list of the prescription and non-prescription medicines and vitamin supplements your child is taking, including the name, dosage and concentration.
IMPORTANT: If your child is staying overnight in the hospital, bring his medicines with you so that we can identify name, dosage and concentration.
However, in most cases, you will not be able to use these prescription or non-prescription medicines, or herbal or vitamin supplements that you bring from home.
If your child needs to take scheduled doses while he is at the hospital, our pharmacy will provide the medicine. You may store medicines from home in the outpatient pharmacy during your child's stay.
5. ATM Card or Cash
The cafeteria takes cash, traveler's checks (up to $50 denominations) and Visa and Mastercard; no personal checks are accepted (a cash machine is located on the 5th floor near the cafeteria).
IMPORTANT: Moms with a hospitalized breastfed baby may order meals from the cafeteria at no charge.
6. Clothing
Children's provides gowns and footwear, but your child may feel better in his own clothes, including:
- Comfortable day clothes like sweat pants, large t-shirts, socks and underwear
- Night clothes like pajamas, a robe and slippers
The one parent staying overnight should also bring a bag, including change of clothes, personal toiletries and any necessary medicines.
IMPORTANT: Showers, lockers, laundry room and computers with Internet access are available for your use at the Family Resource Center.
7. Play and Comfort Items
A favorite blanket, toy, book, video or music (with headphones) will help soothe your child. Consider bringing pictures of family, friends and pets.
8. Baby Needs
We provide diapers, bottles and formula. Bring a pacifier if your baby uses one or any special type of bottle, nipple or sippy cup.
9. Car Seat, Booster Seat or Seat Belt
Please remember to use a car seat, booster seat or seat belt (depending on your child's age and weight) when transporting your child.