During your child’s stay
Your child’s ward
Monash Children’s Hospital is the second largest paediatric referral centre serving South Eastern Victoria. In the last year over 13,000 children were admitted to the paediatric wards in which your child will be staying.
During your child’s stay at Monash Children’s Hospital he/she will be situated at one of paediatric wards within Monash Health, located at either the Clayton, Dandenong or Casey site.
Your child’s healthcare team
Your healthcare team at Monash Children’s Hospital is comprised of a number of healthcare professionals who are dedicated to ensuring your child’s treatment and stay is as comfortable as possible.
Nurse Unit Manager: The Nurse Unit Manager is responsible for the ward and the staff who work within it. He/she is available for you to consult if you have any questions, concerns or praise for staff about the care provided to your child throughout your admission.
Medical and nursing staff: While a patient of the Monash Children’s Hospital, your child will be treated by a number of doctors and nurses who provide specialist care in relation to your child’s needs. Each day he/she will be visited by one or more of the team to discuss current treatments and future care.
Allied health staff and Chaplains: Monash Health provides a range of allied health services to assist in your child’s recovery. These include Social Work, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Pathology, Music Therapy, Podiatry, Child Life Therapy, Art Therapy and Diabetes Education. Referrals will be made through your nurse or medical team as necessary. Chaplains of different faiths are also available, please ask your nurse for details.
How we communicate with you and your family
We have communication whiteboards that are updated daily by nursing and medical staff to keep you updated with your child’s treatment. Parents/carers and patients are also encouraged to use these boards to make note of any updates or questions for staff to address.
We also conduct consultant ward rounds, medical rounds and interactive bedside handovers at the change of each shift, which is the most effective time for parents to communicate with their child’s bedside nurses and ask any questions.
Call bells are also used to alert staff that a patient and/or family member requires assistance. Buttons are located beside each patient bed. When pressed, a nurse will come to assist you as needed.
Your child’s wellbeing
Child Life Therapy and Art Therapy provide a variety of services to support the emotional health and wellbeing of children aged from six weeks to 18 years old during their stay at Monash Children’s Hospital.
Child Life Therapists assist children to develop coping strategies for the unfamiliar experiences they may face during their stay in hospital. These may include medical and diagnostic procedures, or surgery. Child Life Therapists address children’s questions, needs, comfort and wellbeing through play activities and developmental education.
Most children in hospital need to have at least one procedure during their stay. Procedures are tests that are needed to diagnose, measure, or treat problems or illness. Sometimes your child might feel anxious or scared during a procedure. Hospital staff will always try to reduce your child’s anxiety and pain to make your child as comfortable as possible during the procedure.
View information sheet – Reducing your child’s discomfort during procedures
Please refer to the Your child’s surgery section for detailed information on this process.
Your child’s meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided to your child during his/her stay. Snacks and drinks are also available throughout the day for children.
At Monash Children’s Hospital Clayton, your child will be able to select his/her menu electronically via our Patient Entertainment System.
At our Casey and Dandenong sites, your child will be given a menu card for the following day’s meals. We ask that you complete the card on behalf of your child and place the completed menu on your bedside table or hand it to your nurse.
Monash Children’s Hospital aims to provide a variety of meals and cater for all dietary requirements. If your child has such needs please notify your nurse.
For children under 12 months of age, we provide a special menu which is a choice of mashed, pureed and minced food.
You may also wish to bring food from home. Please speak the nursing staff about labelling your food and kitchen facilities.
Formula
If your child is on formula please let the staff know on admission so that we can order the formula for you. Some less common formulas may not be available, and you will need to supply your own.
Please ask the nursing staff about the ward’s processes in place and utensils provided for preparing your child’s formula.
Breastfed babies
If you need to express your breast milk, please ask our nursing staff for the equipment required.
School teacher
For our school-age patients, a teacher is available to provide work and assist with school studies.
Our teacher liaises with your child’s school to enable patients to maintain their progress in the classroom if he/she is hospitalised for a long period of time.
A virtual classroom facility with computer and internet access is also provided under the direct supervision of the teacher.
Patient Education and Entertainment System
Each bed in the new Monash Children’s Hospital is fitted with a Patient Entertainment and Education System, offering a welcome distraction and access to activities, education and communication tools for patients and their families.
The system aims to enhance the hospital experience for our patients and aligns with the new model of care. Features of the new system include:
- Meals ordering
- Free-to-air TV and Foxtel
- Movies and games
- Educational material
- Access to Radio Lollipop and Starlight Livewire
- Patient and health information and resources
Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi is available to patients across all Monash Children’s Hospital sites. To connect, select the Monash Health Patient Wi-Fi network and accept the terms and conditions.
Activity rooms
Activity rooms are located at the Clayton, Dandenong and Casey sites, in which there are a variety of toys and activities provided for both patients and their siblings.
Opening hours:
Clayton: Monday to Sunday, 24 hours
Casey: Monday to Sunday, 8am-5pm
Dandenong: Monday to Sunday, 8am-7pm
Please note that food and drink is not permitted in activity rooms to ensure health and safety of all children and families.
Children under the age of five are to be supervised by a parent or carer.
Please check with your child’s nurse to ensure he/she is able to utilise the activity room. For children who may not be able to use these spaces, there are toys available which may be provided by a Child Life Therapist, volunteer or nurse on request.
Radio Lollipop: A program that provides craft and games for patients both at the bedside and in the playroom. Available on Mondays and Wednesdays, 6-7.30pm and Saturdays, 9.30–11am.
Clown doctors: Clown doctors are provided to the Monash Children’s Hospital by the Humour Foundation and give bedside entertainment and distraction for patients. Clown doctors visit on Thursdays from 10am-3pm.
Starlight Children’s Foundation
The Starlight Room is available at Monash Children’s Hospital Clayton to offer additional entertainment for your child. Within the starlight room, Captain Starlight will entertain the children with movies, video games, board games and magic tricks. Please check with your child’s nurse to ensure your child is able to use the Starlight Room.
Monash Children’s Hospital has a variety of services available to help make your stay during your child’s visit as comfortable as possible.
Parent meals
Parent lounge areas are situated on levels 3, 4 and 5 of Monash Children’s Hospital Clayton and there is provision for parents to make tea and coffee. Each lounge area also has a microwave to heat meals and a fridge for parents to keep their meals fresh. Please ensure that your container is clearly labelled with your name and date of when it is placed in the fridge.
A vending machine is located in the level 4 lift foyer and has main meals and snacks that you can purchase. Meals can be heated in the microwave provided in the parent lounges.
Monash Children’s Hospital Casey and Dandenong each have a parent’s lounge situated on the ward, where there is provision to make tea and coffee, a microwave to heat food and a fridge to keep items cold. Please ensure any items you store in the fridge are labelled and dated.
Parent beds
Monash Children’s Hospital is only able to provide sleeping facilities for one parent to stay overnight with their child. The hospital will provide a single sofa bed and linen for the duration of your stay.
In the mornings, please pack up your bed by 8am and store your linen neatly in the spaces provided .
For some parents, Ronald McDonald House (Monash) accommodation is available for a nominal fee. Please speak to one of our staff for more information on how to access this service.
Please note that parent beds for Monash Newborn patients are not currently available at Clayton. Limited parent beds are currently available at Casey and Dandenong.
Hospital facilities and services
ATM: There are ATMs located at Dandenong and Casey Monash Children’s Hospital sites for your use. There is no ATM available at Monash Children’s Hospital Clayton,
Food and coffee: A Café is located at Monash Children’s Hospital Clayton, where you can purchase barista-made coffee, meals and snacks. Cafés are also located at Monash Medical Centre, Dandenong Hospital and Casey Hospital.
Café Opening hours:
- Monash Children’s Hospital Clayton: Monday to Sunday, 6am-5pm
- Monash Medical Centre: Monday to Friday, 6am-8pm and Saturday to Sunday, 7am-7pm
- Café Dandenong Hospital: Monday to Sunday, 6am-8pm
- Casey Hospital: Monday to Friday, 7am-6pm and Saturday, 8am -2pm
Convenience Store: A convenience store is located at Monash Medical Centre, Dandenong Hospital and Casey Hospital, where you can purchase gifts, newspapers and magazines
Opening hours:
- Monash Children’s Hospital Clayton: Monday to Friday, 6am-7pm and Saturday to Sunday, 6am-6pm
- Monash Medical Centre: Monday to Saturday, 7am-8pm and Sunday, 7am-7pm
- Dandenong Hospital: Monday to Friday, 6.30am-8pm and Saturday to Sunday, 7.30am-7.30pm
- Casey Hospital: Monday to Sunday, 9am-8pm
Ronald McDonald House Monash: Ronald McDonald House Monash offers a comfortable place to stay for parents, guardians, carers and families with a child patient 18 years or under. Open 24/7, 365 days a year the House can accommodate 15 families each and every night. Accommodation is subject to availability and a referral process applies.
Ronald McDonald Family Room: The Family Room offers an inviting space for parents, guardians and carers of paediatric inpatients and outpatients to have a break. The Room includes a lounge room with TV, shower, laundry and kitchenette facilities, and computer and Wi-Fi access.
Location: Level 4, Monash Children’s Hospital (Clayton)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday 7.30am–9.30pm, Saturday to Sunday 7.30am–6pm
Contact: Judi Scott, phone (03) 9562 6223, email judi.scott@rmhc.org.au
This service is available at Clayton.
Interpreter services: We offer interpreter services by booking a phone or face-to-face meeting with an interpreter. Please ask the hospital staff for more information.
