Visiting Policy
Parents and legal guardians are considered part of the healthcare team, and may be with their child anytime, day or night.
Staying overnight
Children are reassured and comforted when a parent can stay in the hospital with them. Most patient rooms have sleeper chairs or sofas for at least one parent or legal guardian.
Visiting hours
- Siblings, family and friends may visit between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Siblings and visitors may not stay overnight.
- Everyone age 12 and older will get a photo name badge when they enter the hospital. Families and visitors must wear their photo name badge at all times.
- Children younger than 12 must always be with an adult.
- Children younger than 10 may not visit patients isolated for contagious diseases.
- Sometimes only parents or guardians are allowed to be with their child. this might happen during cold and flu season or when infection risk is high.
- Visitors who are sick or have been exposed to an illness are not allowed in any unit.
- The unit coordinator will call your child's room before sending a visitor to the room.
When you must be away
If you cannot be at the hospital, talk with your nurse. The unit coordinator can help you designate two adults who can be with your child while you are away.
Number of visitors
Units allow different numbers of visitors in the room at one time. Ask your nurse about your unit. Additional visitors may wait in the cafeteria, Family Resource Center, or shared family spaces on the unit.
Flowers and Balloons
Gift deliveries from outside vendors are delivered to the hospital entrance coordinator desks, where the delivery is accepted and logged in at the desk. When available, a volunteer will bring the delivery to the patient room from the desk.
If there are questions about the receipt of a delivery, please call the entrance coordinator supervisor at 206-987-1510. Visitors to patients may take gifts directly to the patient when visiting.
Some units restrict what gifts may be accepted by patients on those units:
- Intensive Care Units: No live flowers or any kind of balloon. A small stuffed animal is a good option for gifts to patients in these areas.
- Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Unit: No live flowers.
Deliveries made to the hospital that cannot be allowed in the units will either be kept at the Intensive Care Unit coordinator's desk, or will be placed in a storeroom near one of the entrance coordinator desks, once the patient's family has been notified of the gift delivery.
Mylar (foil type) balloons are allowed in all units except the intensive care unit and may be purchased in the Ocean Gift Shop on level 7, Ocean zone. Latex balloons are not allowed due to allergy and choking hazards. For health reasons, some units do not allow live plants or cut flowers.