Safety

Your child's safety is important at South Texas Health System Children's. As much as we are concerned for your child's personal safety, we encourage you to take an active role in your child's personal safety and the security of his/her personal belongings.

The hospital is not responsible for loss or damage to personal belongings so we encourage you to only bring those belongings that are essential to your child's care. The hospital has a safe to use for the safe-keeping of your valuables in the event you are unable to send your personal belongings or valuables home. 

Smoke-Free Environment

South Texas Health System Children's is a smoke-free facility. As health care providers, we recognize the hazards of smoking and enforce a “No Smoking” policy. No one is permitted to smoke inside any of our facilities at any time, under any circumstances.

Medications

Please give your child's nurse a list of all medications your child is currently taking, including prescription and over the counter medications, as well as vitamins. This list should also include any medications from Mexico that he or she may be taking. Include the dosage, frequency and the last time each medication was taken. Your physician will decide which medications your child should continue to take while in the hospital. Your nurse will bring medications ordered by your child's physician.

All medications brought to the hospital should be returned home as they can interfere or interact with tests or medicines ordered for your treatment. For your child's safety and protection, only medicines approved by his/her physician and supplied by our pharmacy will be given during your child's stay. Your child may be asked to wear an allergy bracelet, which alerts all caregivers to your allergies. At discharge, your child's medications will be reviewed with you and you will receive a list of these medications to take home. You should share this list with your child's primary care physician after discharge.

Pain Management

Pain is your body’s way of reacting to injury or illness. Everyone reacts to pain in different ways. While your child is a patient at South Texas Health System Children's, his/her pain will be evaluated and managed as often as needed. Together, we will work on a pain goal that is acceptable, keeping your child as comfortable and as pain free as possible. The nurse will give you a pamphlet on pain management that can help you make decisions about your child's pain.

Pneumococcal and Flu Vaccines

The pneumococcal vaccine is available at South Texas Health System Children's for patients and is given year round. If you are interested in this vaccine, please discuss this with your child's physician or nurse to see if your child meets the criteria. The flu vaccine is offered to our patients during flu season, from the month of October until March.

Infection Control

Our facilities follow infection control practices to prevent the spread of infection among patients, physicians, staff and visitors. Everyone plays an active role in controlling infections in the hospital, and you and your child can help by following these guidelines:

Wash Your Hands

This is the single most important infection control measure that you can do. Wash with soap and water using vigorous friction for a minimum of 15 seconds. Wash after using the restroom, before and after eating, after touching an unclean area and when hands are visibly dirty. In addition to handwashing, our facilities have wall-mounted alcohol-based hand gel dispensers for all to use.

• If you see any kind of soiling, please tell the staff so that we can have it cleaned.
• Do not eat other people’s food and do not share your food with anyone.
• Do not use anyone’s linens or hygiene items.
• Your visitors and family should not visit when they are sick or have an infection.
• If you are in “isolation” please follow the isolation instructions sign posted on your door and ask that all your visitors do the same. Visitors may be required to wear gloves, a gown and a mask.

Cell Phones

Cell phones may be used in the public areas of the hospital. If you have a cell phone with you, please use it with discretion and keep it at a low volume or in vibrate mode while a physician is visiting with a patient or family. The camera option on a cell phone may not be used at any time. South Texas Health System Children's is not responsible for the loss of cell phones.

Lost and Found

Items found on hospital premises should be turned into security. Items that patients and visitors inadvertently leave in their rooms will be turned into security. Medications left behind are turned into the pharmacy. Perishable items such as flowers, fruit and food normally will be disposed of immediately. All other items will be kept for 30 days before disposal. We will make an effort to contact the owners of any item found on campus.