Most of the inpatient specialty wards at Al Jalila Children’s are on level three. The Child Mental Health ward is on the ground floor. The Rehab ward is on the first floor. The Heart Centre ward is on the second floor. You can find the wards easily by following way finding signage, taking the lift from the atrium. If your child is being admitted for Cardiac, Neuro or Otolaryngology (ENT – Ear, Nose and Throat) surgery, there may be some extra information for you to familiarise yourself with. Please check this with a member of the ward staff.

Patient rooms at Al Jalila Children’s

Our patient rooms have been designed to be inviting, warm, happy, calming and educational. Most of our patient rooms are single rooms with lots of space and en-suite bathroom facilities. Patients and their family members are able to enjoy privacy and dignity. Our patient rooms have been designed to make patients feel at home and patients are able to control the light and temperature in their room. Every patient has access to an in-room entertainment system from his or her bed, with various entertainment options and parental access control. What you need to know:

• Make sure to check what your visiting hours are before you leave – these may vary from ward to ward
• Each room has a special sleeper coach, so one parent or carer can stay overnight
• Play areas are located in each ward, with outdoor space on each floor, allowing patients and families to enjoy fresh air and access to outdoor recreational areas
• There is limited space for storage in the patient rooms. It is a good idea to only bring one small hand baggage sized bag
• Patients will be able to choose from a varied menu and have their meals delivered when they want to eat
• For parents, carers and visitors, hot and cold food is available from our food court on the first floor and a coffee shop in the main atrium. Pantry facilities are available on each specialty ward floor.

Day Case Surgery

Visits for minor surgical procedures are often carried out within a day. If your child needs day case surgery, we will tell you at your appointment and explain what happens next. Before your admission date you will receive a letter which contains important information that will help you prepare for the day. What you need to know

• Please read your patient letter, which has all the important information you need before the day.
• You should get a reminder call from the Day Case Surgery team 72 hours before your appointment. If you haven’t spoken to the team by this time, then please call 800 2524.
• Check your arrival time on your patient letter. Arriving on time for your appointment will mean less time waiting.
• Due to limited waiting space we suggest one parent or carer accompanies his or her child to the appointment.
• You can bring some home comforts like your phone and a favourite toy, but please do not bring anything larger than a small bag.

We are here to help If you don’t understand something or have a question, then please call 800 2524.

Painbusting

It is important for us to be able to help children manage any pain or discomfort after their procedure and we encourage children to tell us if they don’t feel well when they wake up. As part of preparing your child for an operation, why not download and read “ Painbusters”, our cartoon guide designed for the whole family.

Outpatient Departments (OPD)

Our outpatient clinics or outpatient departments (OPD) are normally held on weekdays (Sunday to Thursday), and at Al Jalila Children’s you will be welcomed at our main reception desk in the atrium area. After checking in you will be required to proceed to one of the registration counters in the outpatient department. Existing patients may use our electronic queuing system (the QMatic interactive display screen in the atrium and OPD areas). After checking in you can take a seat in one the dedicated waiting areas in OPD and your name will appear on one of the calling screens in your vicinity when it is time for your appointment.

Finding your way around

Al Jalila Children’s is the first dedicated hospital in the GCC for paediatric patients only. The hospital is a 200 inpatient bed facility with many services provided in different locations, so we know finding where you need to be is an important part of preparing for your visit. Clear wayfinding and support is available around Al Jalila Children’s, also, any member of our staff will happily assist you. The main entrance to the hospital can be reached from Sheikh Rashid Road (E11), and if you are visiting by car you should use this route to gain access to the valet parking area or the visitors’ car park – a buggy service is available for pick-up and drop-off at your vehicle. Our Patient Care Centre (PPC), which provides emergency services, can be accessed from the main entrance. The atrium is the main area of the building where you will find the main reception, shops and the outpatient pharmacy, as well as directions to wards and departments. Please Take Note – Al Jalila Children’s is a No Smoking Site Al Jalila Children’s is a no smoking site. This means you can’t smoke anywhere – inside and outside. If you want to smoke you have to leave the Al Jalila Children’s campus completely and go to the public roads. If you do smoke on site, you will be asked to stop. If you are a smoker, please prepare yourself in advance for not being able to smoke while you are with us. Exposure to second hand smoke can have serious health consequences for young patients, families and staff and cigarette butts spoil the environment at our new hospital. We thank all our visitors in advance for not smoking on site.

Facilities at Al Jalila Children’s

Al Jalila Children’s was designed with a focus on making things a little easier for patients, their families and all our visitors. Our staff have been trained to assist you and to help out where and whenever they can. The main reception desk in the atrium provides a concierge service. We shall always endeavour to help with any questions. You might also be interested to find out about the following services that we offer:

• ATM - An ATM is available in the atrium.
• Breastfeeding and Baby Change - Toilets and baby change rooms are located throughout the hospital. Patient rooms have en-suite facilities. Breastfeeding facilities are available in the Outpatient Department and on each inpatient floor.
• Child Life Centre - The Child Life Centre programmes at Al Jalila Children’s focus on the social and emotional impact of illness and hospitalisation. Our Child Life Centre strives to promote a positive hospital experience for children.Child Life Centre specialists use play as a tool for socialisation, preparation, expression of feelings, normalisation and learning.

Community services

“ It is far easier to build financial capital than it is to build intellectual, psychological and moral capital. Building a road or a bridge may take a year or two, but developing people takes a lifetime. Social development, in all its aspects, requires distinct programs, outstanding performance, patience and special criteria for measurement and evaluation” H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. In line with the Government of Dubai’s initiatives to develop the social sector and communities in Dubai, Al Jalila Children’s included in its strategic plan a set of objectives to promote healthcare in the UAE. We also have the health and wellbeing of communities at heart in countries in the Arab world (Yemen, in particular), Africa, the Indian Subcontinent and Asia, where we have embarked on philanthropic missions and healthcare programmes, including heart surgery and treatment of congenital heart conditions. Facilities for the Disabled Embracing the Government of Dubai’s initiative to be the world’s friendliest city for the disabled, Al Jalila Children’s supports the ‘My community … a city for everyone’ initiative. The initiative aims at empowering the disabled within an overarching framework that contributes to enhancing the effectiveness of existing projects and initiatives, and developing more initiatives of this sort in accordance with a vision that aims to maximise the participation and integration of individuals with disabilities in the community, and to create new opportunities for them. Committed to bringing the Vision 2020 to reality, Al Jalila Children’s provides facilities for the disabled in and around the hospital and all our facilities. Facilities near the Hospital Dubai Healthcare City is adjacent to Al Jalila Children’s, the precinct provides a host of commercial, hospitality and healthcare facilities, including the Wafi Mall, various hotels and healthcare centres. The Dubai Metro and taxi services make moving around the area easy, with ready access to all city areas. Family services We continue to develop services in and around the hospital to give patients and their families the best possible experience of Al Jalila Children’s. Social workers offer support and services to bereaved families, including counselling, support groups and the Child Death Helpline. Contact one of our social workers on 800 2524. Food and Drink The Food Court on the first floor of the hospital and a coffee shop in the atrium serve teas and coffees, hot and cold beverages, and food from a la carte menus from 7:30am each day (8.30am over weekends) and a range of fresh snacks, salads and sandwiches throughout the day, up to 10pm. There are vending machines available on each floor, 24 hours a day. Health promotion We think it’s important to encourage healthy eating and exercise and we do this in a fun, engaging way. In collaboration with experts from our dentistry team and the clinical nutrition physiotherapy departments we are developing programmes to promote hands and mouth hygiene, healthy eating habits and healthy body (exercise) programmes. We encourage parents and siblings participation to support and assist patients. Hospital schooling Al Jalila Children’s assists parents with the engagement of a learning institution to provide long term patients with an effective schooling system and a positive and enjoyable learning experience. Our in-room entertainment system provides online and digital facilities, allowing patients to participate in online and digital learning programmes. Children who are well enough may have lessons in their ward from visiting teachers. Interpreter services Support is available for patients and families who have language and communication needs. We will usually be told of the need for this service at the time of referral from your GP or healthcare practitioner. Language interpreter services are available for face-to-face interpreting and telephone interpretation. Media centre Our media centre, in the shape and form of a gigantic lady bird, is a therapeutic and an entertainment environment created for the express purpose of delivering high levels of stimuli to patients. State-of-the-art technology and sensory installations, combined with lighting effects, colours, textures, sounds and computer games provide stimulation for patients’ olfactory, auditory and gustatory systems, as well as movement and coordination stimulation. The media centre assists patients and their families during their hospitalisation, illness, injury and treatment to make their hospital stay as comfortable as possible, as well as to ensure that the children’s developmental, emotional and psychological needs are being met while they are cared for at the hospital. Music and Art Therapy As well as having dedicated play therapists to entertain and distract our young patients, there are regular visits from artists, storytellers, musicians and magicians to not just entertain children, but to encourage their creative sides and boost their recovery. Patient and Family Support Team A confidential service is available to support the families and carers of patients, when any concerns or complaints cannot be addressed by ward or clinic staff. Contact one of our social workers on 800 2524 or drop us a line at info@ajch.ae with any question that you may have regarding a patient or family support. Pharmacy The Outpatient Pharmacy is situated in the atrium, close to the escalators. Play areas Outpatients and visitors can explore the play areas throughout the Outpatient Department and public waiting areas. For inpatients, every ward has a play area and each floor provides an outdoor deck allowing access to fresh air and outdoor play areas. Prayer room A prayer room is situated on the basement floor (B). Our spiritual care team are available 24 hours a day to support, reassure and assist families of any faith. Self-catering facilities Each inpatient ward has an area near the patient rooms for parents to make hot and cold drinks, snacks and chat with other parents. Staying overnight Patient bedrooms have been equipped with a special sleeper coach, so one parent or carer can stay overnight. Visiting hours for friends and families may vary by ward, so please check with staff. Wi-Fi Free Wi-Fi is available to patients, families and visitors.

Going to the Operating Theatre

What is the operating room like?

The operating room can be a scary place, with unfamiliar equipment and people dressed in strange outfits. If your child visits the hospital prior to surgery, some of the equipment may be shown to him or her by a caregiver. One thing your child will need to know is that people in the operating room will be wearing surgical clothes to help prevent germs from infecting the surgical incision. The surgical clothing includes the following:

• A protective cap covering their hair
• Masks over their lower face, covering their mouths and noses
• Shades or glasses over their eyes
• Vinyl gloves on their hands
• Long gowns
• Protective covers on their shoes

The surgeon may also wear special glasses that help him or her to see more clearly. Children need to be aware that the people in the operating room will be wearing this attire, because they can become frightened if not aware that the staff will be wearing strange clothes. If your child is able to visit the hospital before surgery, ask if he or she can play with the gloves, mask, and cap so they are not so scary.

Learning about the operating room equipment

The following is a brief list of equipment your child may see in the operating room. However, each operating room varies depending on the type of surgery being done. Also, many children are given medication to help them sleep before going to surgery, and may not be awake enough to notice the equipment.

• The operating table in the centre of the room can be raised, lowered, and tilted in any direction
• The operating room lights are over the table to provide bright light, without shadows, during surgery
• The anaesthesia machine is at the head of the operating table. This machine has tubes that connect to the patient to assist him or her in breathing during surgery, and built-in monitors that help control the mixture of gases in the breathing circuit
• The anaesthesia cart is next to the anaesthesia machine. It contains the medications, equipment, and other supplies that the anaesthesiologist may need
• Sterile instruments to be used during surgery are arranged on a stainless steel table
• An electronic monitor (which records the heart rate and respiratory rate of your child by adhesive patches) are placed on his or her chest
• The pulse oximeter machine attaches to the patient’s finger with an elastic band aid. It measures the amount of oxygen contained in the blood
• There will be an automated blood pressure measuring machine that automatically inflates the blood pressure cuff on your child’s arm
• An electrocautery machine uses high-frequency electrical signals to cauterise or seal off blood vessels and may also be used to cut through tissue with a minimal amount of bleeding
• If surgery requires, a heart-lung machine or other specialised equipment may be brought into the room.

About the equipment once he or she goes into surgery, the surgical staff can answer his or her questions in the operating room. To determine what words to use to explain and describe the operating room equipment to your child, consult one of our caregivers for recommendations.

After Day Case Surgery

You will be given written discharge instructions before you go home. The doctor and nurse will review general home care instructions with you, including:

• Eating and drinking
• Activity for the first 24 hours
• What to do for discomfort, pain or fever
• Possible behavioural changes
• They also may discuss special instructions, such as medicine; follow-up appointments; bathing, bandaging and wound care; return to school or day care, sports and other normal activities

You might want to know more about

• What to expect in the first few days
• How long it might take your child to recover
• Any discharge instructions you were given
• Problems to watch for or be concerned about
• Who to call in case of an emergency

If you have concerns or questions at home

• Call the doctor who preformed the procedure.
• If you can’t reach the doctor, call Day Care Surgery and ask to speak to a nurse.

Leaving the Hospital

Your care team will discuss discharge plans with you. Feel free to ask questions, such as:

• What goals does your child need to meet to be discharged?
• Can the team predict when you will be able to go home?
• What preparations will you need to make?
• We suggest you write down your questions as you think of them.
• If your child’s hospital stay is short and uncomplicated, planning for discharge is a simple process. If the hospital stay is longer and more complicated, you may need to make special arrangements.

We will help you every step of the way: If your child needs medicine at home, you can fill prescriptions in the hospital pharmacy, or we can email them to your pharmacy before you leave If your child needs special equipment or visits by a homecare nurse, we will provide a list of homecare companies approved by your insurance. We will work with you and the company you choose to make sure you have the equipment, supplies, medicines and support you need. We will provide training to help you feel confident that you can go home safely and that you know how to perform treatments or procedures your child might need at home.

Share Your Experience

We work hard to make your visit to Al Jalila Children’s as positive as possible and it is important to us to get your opinion about the things we are doing right, as well as the things you think need improving. You can tell us about your experience in a number of ways. The easiest way is to: Tell us about your visit by submitting a Patient and Family Survey Our website provides an easy to use patient and family survey with tick boxes. You can comment or let us have a short message in the column at the bottom of the page.

If you have a query or a concern

Our customer care staff are there to help sort out questions and concerns you may have or drop us a line 800 25 24. To improve our services, we care to listen to what matters to our patients and their families, making changes, when and where appropriate. Our customer care staff will also advise you about making a complaint and refer you to our Complaints Services. Write an email to us on quality@ajch.ae. You may also call us on 800 25 24. If the team are helping other families you may need to leave a voicemail. We will return your call as soon as we are able to do so.

We abide by the UAE’s strict standards for protecting and processing individuals’ data, including the DHCC (Dubai Healthcare City) Health Data Protection Regulations. Dubai Healthcare City Governing Regulation No. 7 of 2008 regulates the use and disclosure of “Patient Health Information” (including personal information and medical information relating to a patient’s physical or mental health) by entities licensed in the Dubai Healthcare City - a healthcare-related free zone in the Emirate of Dubai.

Al Jalila Children’s will only keep any information you send to us through this web site for as long as necessary to process the request that you have made. Any information you send through this web site may be passed between other DHCC organisations in order to deal with your request or comment.

Everyone in the DHCC has a legal duty to keep information about their patients confidential, and great care is taken to ensure that high standards of confidentiality are maintained. At Al Jalila Children’s we take the security of patient information collected very seriously. All staff are required to be trained every year on keeping information secure. We also issue regular reminders to staff and conduct audits to ensure good practice.

What do we collect?

For us to look after patients we must keep a record of their name, address, date of birth and family doctor. We have to record information about the medical condition, related tests and treatment, drugs given or operations. We may record information about the illnesses of other family members, information from GPs, or other hospitals where treatment has been received.