Inpatient Family Guide

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Division of Psychiatry at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center provides answers to frequently asked questions about families' experiences with a child who has been admitted to the hospital for the first time.

Visiting Questions / Answers

When can we visit?
Visiting hours are 6:30-7:30 pm on weekdays and 12:30-2:30 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Special accommodations need to be arranged with the unit staff member assigned to your child. Families are encouraged to visit routinely.
Who may visit our child?
Visitors are allowed only with your permission. All visitors must know your child's four digit ID number.
May I call my child?
Yes, you may call your child on the unit. The unit phone numbers are listed under Important Phone Numbers. The best times to call are meal times: 8:30, noon and 5 PM. So as to not disturb your child's care, he or she will not be taken out of therapeutic groups unless it is an emergency. You may call the unit directly and ask for an alternative time to phone. Designated phone times vary between units.
May other friends / family members call him / her?
Only those on the approved list will be put through to talk to your child. Callers must have the four-digit code in order for your child to receive the call. Be very careful as to whom you give the ID code, as children could pass the code to others without the parents' knowledge.
May my child make phone calls? When?
Yes, your child may make phone calls during certain times of the day. You may call your child's unit directly for the designated times.

Supply Questions / Answers

What kinds of things may we bring?
You should bring a three-day supply of clothing, socks and underwear, pajamas, a bathrobe, slippers and shoes. Optional items include: A comforter or bedspread, favorite blanket, pillow, stuffed animal, toys. Expensive toys are not recommended. Cell phones, pagers, CD / MP3 players, hand-held game systems or other electronics are not permitted on the unit. Radios are provided for patients to use when appropriate. Check with your child's unit staff to learn if CDs are permitted.
What about laundry?
There are bedside laundry bins for your child's soiled items, which you can take home to launder. If that is not possible, staff can use the washers and dryers on the unit.
Where do the kids eat?
Meals are served in the group room at the main campus on Burnet Avenue. At College Hill meals are served on the units.
What kinds of food do they get?
Meals are served buffet style, offering two entrée choices with several side dishes.
Do they get snacks and beverages between meals?
Yes, there are scheduled snack times at 2:30 pm and 8:30 pm. You may bring food or snacks.
Do we need to bring toiletries? If so, what is allowed?
The hospital provides basic toiletries, such as toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and shampoo. You are welcome to bring favorites from home, but staff will check to make sure the items are safe and suitable. Questionable items such as fingernail polish and hair gels are held in a locked cubby. Electric shavers, hair dryers, curling irons, etc., will be approved on a patient-by-patient basis.

Treatment Team Questions / Answers

Who is my child's attending psychiatrist?
Your child's medical doctor is board certified in both general and adolescent psychiatry and is assigned at admission.
When do I get to see and talk to my child's psychiatrist?
Your child will meet daily with the psychiatrist for assessment and medication management. The doctor's focus is on patient care. Your liaison to the doctor is the nurse care manager.
What is a team or family meeting?
The goal of the family meeting is to gather family perspectives of your child's needs and to involve the family with Discharge Planning. Your treatment team therapist and care manager attend as does any outpatient provider that you invite.
Does the psychiatrist come to the family meeting?
It is not standard practice for the psychiatrist to attend.
What does the therapist do?
Your treatment team therapist is either a Licensed Social Worker (LSW), Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) or a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) who contacts you to set up the family meeting. The therapist is a great resource for learning how you can help with your child's treatment. The therapist will assist with discharge plans and follow-up treatment.
If I have questions, whom do I ask?
Direct your questions to your treatment team therapist and care manager during the day hours and the Health Unit Coordinator or the Charge Nurse at the unit desk during the evening hours. You are welcome to phone the unit anytime to inquire about your child. Call the PFCC line with any unresolved questions or concerns, 513-636-9844.
Tell me about the staff working on the unit…What are their qualifications? Is there always a nurse? Is there always a doctor available?
The nurses on the units are Registered Nurses (RNs) who have had training in managing a therapeutic environment. They work directly on the unit and provide your child with any needed medical care. Nurses are assigned on a shift-by-shift basis and provide the hour-to-hour care component of the unit. Mental Health Specialists, educated about mental illness and therapeutic interventions, work directly on the unit with your child. These staff members assist your child with setting daily goals to work on and learning new skills that can help them cope. Mental Health Specialists are assigned on a shift-by-shift basis and help provide the 24-hour care component on the unit. There is always a Psychiatrist or Resident available, who can be reached by pager.

Program Questions / Answers

Does my child receive individual therapy?
Yes. A doctor will meet daily with your child on a varying schedule. Mental Health Specialists and nurses may initiate one to one sessions. Mental Health Specialists assist your child with setting daily goals to work on and learning new skills that can help them cope. They will do this in group therapy, recreational and therapeutic activities.
What is Milieu or Group Therapy?
The milieu is a safe and therapeutic setting which encourages positive change. Milieu means the totality of an environment. Group therapy is a mode of treatment that uses social interactions of the group to examine mental health issues. Group topics are determined by the participants needs. Topics may include: Social skills, Coping skills, self-expression, life skills or anger management.
What about school and homework?
There is one hour set aside for homework and staff will help as they can. Parents are encouraged to bring homework assignments from school to their child on the unit. Schools are welcome to fax assignments.
Are the kids ever taken off the locked unit? If so, why?
Yes. Children who have earned attended privileges may leave the unit with staff supervision for testing purposes, medical treatment or special privileges earned.
What is the usual length of stay on an inpatient unit?
The average length of stay is five to eight days. Your child's plan of care will determine how long he or she stays on the unit. The decision to discharge your child will be based upon his safety and if she / he can be managed in a less restrictive environment.
Do the kids get fresh air and exercise?
Weather permitting, the younger children on the South unit at the main campus visit the play deck. This is earned by tokens. There is a daily exercise period for all units. Patients at College Hill use the outdoor courtyard and the indoor gym.
When do the kids get up and when do they go to bed?
Typically, patients wake up at 8:00 am. Bedtime follows snack and movie time. The actual time varies between units.

Policy Questions / Answers

What is seclusion?
Seclusion is not a treatment modality, but a last step safety intervention utilized to keep patients and others safe when behaviors presented pose an immediate risk of danger.
When do you use restraint and how does that work?
Restraint is not a treatment modality, but a last resort safety intervention when an imminent risk of danger to the individual or others exists. A copy of the Seclusion and Restraint Philosophy and Policy will be given to the patient and or parent / guardian at admission. Cincinnati Children's is committed to the prevention and reduction of seclusion and restraint use within our facility.
Do you ever call the local police or security?
Security at Cincinnati Children's routinely patrols all units of the hospital and are contacted if there is an emergency.
Could my child be arrested for aggressive behavior?
It is rare, but the answer is yes. If a staff is injured, they have the right to press charges for assault and battery.
Is information about my child kept private and confidential?
Patients and staff are required to maintain confidentiality at all times. The information contained in your child's medical record is confidential. It is a legal requirement that Cincinnati Children's receive specific authorization prior to releasing this information. Authorization may be granted by completing an ROI (Authorization for Use and /or Disclosure of Protected Health Information form). Parents are responsible for completing and signing all ROI forms. Staff can assist you. These forms are available through Health Information Management and can be downloaded online. See Forms.

Medical Questions / Answers

Will there be a pediatrician available if my child gets sick (examples: flu, virus, cold, earache, etc.)?
Yes.
Do I have to supply my child's medicine?
Cincinnati Children's will supply the needed medications as long as the Cincinnati Children's Outpatient Pharmacy carries the medicine. You may be asked to bring a medication from home if it is not readily available at our pharmacy.
If there is a change made to the medication, are we notified and asked to give our okay or permission before that happens?
Yes, the treatment team will discuss changes with you ahead of time, unless it is a medical emergency. Feel free to contact your treatment team nurse care manager with medication questions.

Facility Questions / Answers

Does my child have a private room? Bathroom?
Rooms are double or single, depending on each child's specific treatment needs. All rooms have a private bathroom with a shower. There are no televisions or telephones in patient rooms. There are telephones by the Nursing Station for use during free time.