Ronald McDonald House Guidelines, Rules & Policies

Breaking any of the following seven (7) rules is cause for immediate dismissal and loss of future privileges at the Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central Illinois:
1. Alcohol, illegal drugs and weapons are prohibited at the House.
2. Pets are not permitted. Service animals are permitted in compliance with Illinois law.
3. No smoking in the House. Smoking may only be done in the designated area of the patio.
4. RMHCCI does not condone any form of conduct that creates an intimidating hostile or offensive environment (including, harassment, bullying or other abusive conduct) for guest families, staff, volunteers or visitors, or otherwise unreasonably interferes with the RMHCCI communal living environment.
5. Parents of hospitalized children must maintain the appropriate level of visitation and participation of care of the patient child as determined by hospital staff in order to continue to stay at the House.
6. Families must adhere to House rules regarding visitors and visiting hours. Visitors are only allowed in the common areas of the House.
7. No abandoning your room. Abandoning your room is defined as:
a. Leaving town without an authorized pass from House management
b. Not notifying/turning in your key when checking out of the House

*Note: Guests who are not able to follow House rules may be determined to no longer be welcome. If a guest family is unable to follow our House rules or is charged with illegal activity while staying with us, they will be required to leave the House immediately and future use of the House may be denied.

The following are additional policies that families are expected to follow:
ACCESS TO THE HOUSE

• A staff member or volunteer is on site 24 hours a day. Approved overnight guests have 24 hour access.
• Overnight guests must wear their blue wrist bands at all times when in the House.
• Visiting hours are 8:00am to 8:00pm. Visitors must sign in/out with the volunteer/staff member on duty.
• Day Only/Meal guests and Wait List guests are welcome between 8:00am and 8:00pm and must sign in/out with the volunteer/staff member on duty.
• Staff and Guest Services volunteers are the only individuals permitted to allow anyone into the House.
• Individuals who have had contact with any contagious disease (chicken pox, mumps, flu, pertussis or like illness) within the past 21 days may not visit, volunteer or be a guest of the House.
• An individual who has a fever, cold, diarrhea, rash or an open or draining wound will not knowingly be admitted as a guest, volunteer or visitor of the House.
• Any guest developing any of the above symptoms during their stay is expected to 1) advise House staff immediately and 2) check out of the House and not return until approval has been received from hospital staff providing care to the hospitalized or out-patient child (usually at least 24 hours following cessation of symptoms).

SECURITY AND SAFETY
• Electric heaters and open flames (including lit candles, matches and burning incense) are not permitted in the House.
• Irons may only be used in the laundry room
• Guests must not move or rearrange furniture. Contact House staff if you feel your family would be better served if the furnishings of your room were positioned differently.
• Physical and verbal abuse and the use of profanity (swear words) are not permitted. Corporal punishment (spanking or hitting as means of correcting behavior) is not permitted.
• No sales or solicitation of funds may be made of House guests while on the premises of the House.

VISITATION AND SUPERVISION OF CHILDREN
• No unmarried person under the age of 18 may be left alone on House property at any time. Children under the age of 12 must remain in visual sight of an adult relative/guardian at all times.
• All parents are expected to be present for Daily Rounds by the Medical Staff of their in-patient child.
• For NICU families, rounds begin at 9:30am. The House expects that ALL NICU PARENTS will be away from the House beginning at 9:15am and not return until rounding has been completed with their child.
• All NICU parents are expected to participate in the feeding and care of their infant as recommended by hospital staff no less than 4 times of 1 to 2 hours each day between 6am and 9pm. Parents are responsible for signing in and out on the form located at the bedside of the infant.

FOOD AND MEALS
• Food may be eaten in the dining room or outside in the patio areas only. Drinks with lids are allowed in the guest rooms.
• All food prepared at the House must meet the five key procedures to safer food from the World Health Organization (posted in the kitchen).

SANITATION, CLEANLINESS AND COURTESY TO OTHERS
• Clean up after yourself and your children before leaving an area.
• No sleeping in the common areas of the House please!
• Quiet hours are to be respected from 10:00pm to 8:00am. Only emergency calls from the hospital will be transferred to guest rooms during quiet hours.
• Shirts, pants, shoes/slippers are required in the hallways and common areas. The attire is to be respectable at all times.
• Guest rooms must be kept clean and orderly. House staff will check rooms weekly for compliance.
• Trash should be taken to the small dumpster in the north parking lot. Odorous Items such as dirty diapers should be put in a sealed bag and placed in the dumpster promptly.
• RMHCCI recognizes that religious and spiritual beliefs may contribute to the well-being of many families, particularly in the difficult circumstances that bring each family to the House. RMHCCI affirms and supports each family’s right to personal spiritual expression. The RMHCCI program is secular, and as such, we do not promote one religious or spiritual belief system over another, nor do we promote religion over non-religion.
• House guests must not disclose confidential information or use the names, photos or other identifying characteristics of other guest families at the House, House staff or volunteers without consent (including postings to social media).

BREASTFEEDING AND BREAST MILK STORAGE
• RMHCCI fully supports a mother’s right and choice to breastfeed her child in a supportive, comfortable environment., Guests are asked to show consideration and respect for one another in the House’s communal living environment. A guest who is uncomfortable with a breastfeeding mother providing for her child in a communal area may choose to remain in the communal area or excuse themselves to another area of the building.
• Breast milk requiring refrigeration must be maintained either in a small cooler in the guest room (discuss this option with the hospital lactation specialist) or in a labeled, locked container maintained in the Family Refrigerator located in the pantry.
• Short term breast milk storage is available in a House-owned upright breast milk freezer in containers with locks. Each family may store one House container (holds 15 bottles) in this freezer. No milk may be stored in the door of the freezer or outside of a locked container.
• Longer- term breast milk storage is available in a locked chest freezer located in the basement. Families must contact the volunteer or staff member on duty during office hours to access the freezer.

MEDICAL AND CLINICAL ACTIVITIES
• Medical and/or clinical activities are not permitted in the House other than that which can be administered by a parent or other caregiver in the privacy of the guest’s room.
• Medication must be properly maintained by the patient or patient’s parent in their guest room.
• Medication requiring refrigeration may be maintained in a small cooler in the guest room or in a labeled, locked container in the Family Refrigerator located in the pantry.
• A basic first aid kit is maintained by the House.
All injuries received in the House must be reported to House management for an incident report to be created.
• Sharps such as insulin needles must be disposed of properly. They must not be placed in trash cans. A sharps container is located at the Guest Services Desk.
• The House is not a medical facility and is not to supply “specialized care” to families, such as the use of suction machines or equipment that requires uninterrupted electrical power.
• Families not available to receive medical deliveries may have the delivery company representative leave supplies in the guest room if the family makes prior arrangements with House management.
• Families must be present to accept medications requiring refrigeration and oxygen tanks. Extreme precaution must be taken in the safe storage and handling of oxygen cylinders. Oxygen tanks may not be left unattended in the common areas.
• It is the responsibility of the family to make arrangements for medical supply companies to pick up leased equipment prior to check-out. All medical equipment and supplies remaining at the time of check-out are to be removed from the House by the family at time of check-out.
• In case of medical emergency contact 911 and notify House staff immediately.

GOING HOME
Guests may take a 24-hour pass and keep the same room. If all adults need to be away from a room overnight (other than at the hospital) the family may make arrangements by completing the 24-hour Pass form and turning in all assigned room keys. We require each family to use the room 5 nights each week to continue using the room. All exceptions must be approved by House management.
Families are expected to check-out of the House within 24 hours after the patient has been discharged from treatment. Check-out forms are located at the Guest Services Desk.

Effective March 2015