Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

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website: [1] address: 3705 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Phone: 412-692-5325

• Parents can request "sleeping rooms," which are located on the 7th floor. These are simple rooms with a twin size bed, TV and phone. There are lockers, shower and bathrooms here too. They have to be requested each night, with no guarantee that you will get a room the from one day to the next. There is often a lottery to get the room. Request a room from your social worker.
• There is also a room across from the Silver Elevators on the 6th that has fold out beds for taking naps.
• There is a gift store on the 2nd floor. We treat it as a museum and go play with the toys there each day. There is also a toy train next to the gift store for the kids to play with. If the weather is nice, there is an outdoor patio across from the gift store and train that has some tables and play equipment for kids to get some fresh air.
• Food - the cafeteria food isn't great. However, you can order a tray for yourself to eat so you don't have to leave the room. "Pop Stop" on the 1st floor offers very good food, but they only accept cash. If you go down the purple elevators to the 4th floor, there is a walkway over to the adult hospital "Presby." They have a nicer cafeteria up on their 11th floor. Many floors have a "coffee cart" that makes rounds in the morning with coffee and food for parents to purchase. Ask your nurse for details.There are lots of restaurants within 2 blocks of the hospital. Some will delivery. Families can also request brown bag meals for free. Ask your nurse or social worker to get one. They are picked up at the main desk on the 1st floor.
• The gift stores has a limited supply of personal supplies, food, drinks, etc. There is also 2 pharmacies about 2 blocks from the hospital. Ask the front desk on 1 for directions.
• There are ATM machines down near the cafeteria on "B" - you have to take the yellow elevator to get to the cafeteria. There is also an ATM machine next to the "Pop Stop" on the first floor.
• There are music therapists, pet therapy and Child Life therapists if your child would benefit from some extra therapeutic activities. Ask your nurse or physician for information.
• Most units have play rooms. If your child is on precautions and can't leave the room or if you want activities/toys to use when the play room is closed, you can request to borrow some toys for your child to use in their room.
• "G" floor is very quiet and loops around in a circle. It's a nice place to walk.
• The hospital has free internet service for patients and families. You can use your own lap top. The user name is "guest1" and the password is "chpguest1". You can also borrow a lap top from the hospital during your stay. Ask your nurse to request a lap top for you.
• The TV in the room has free "pay per view" style movies for kids and adults. They also have video games on the TV. The floors often have mobile play stations and video games that can be requested.
• There is a library with a nice kids section in it. The kids section has a big fish tank and computers for parents to use. You can borrow books and videos. To get to the library, go up the silver elevators to the 7th floor, turn right, then right again.
• You can request a discount parking fee if you will be at the hospital a while. It's only $3 a day if you are on the discount parking list. Talk to your nurse or social worker to be added to the discount list.
• Find a nurse your love? You can request to have the same nurse the next shift s/he works. No guarantee that you will be assigned that nurse, but you can ask.
• If you are in a double, you can ask to be moved to a single if one becomes available. Again, no guarantee, but you can ask.
• The airport is a decent drive from the hospital. 30 minutes without traffic and 45+ minutes with traffic.
• In the spring of 2009, the hospital will move to it's new location a few miles away.