Important Policies

Alcohol and drugs

What you need to know

Alcohol and illegal drugs are not allowed on the St. Jude campus. Alcohol may be consumed only at authorized special events held at the Danny Thomas/ALSAC Pavilion, the Global Education and Collaboration Center, or the Inspiration4 Advanced Research Center. No one under the influence of alcohol or drugs may remain on campus. This includes any drugs or alcohol in or on you. It also includes any alcohol or drugs in or around the buildings.

Contact

Security phone: 901-595-4444

Car seats

What you need to know

When riding to and from St. Jude, each St. Jude patient must use a car seat that is correct for the patient’s age, weight, and height. If your vehicle does not have a car seat, call your social worker. They can help obtain one for the patient.

Contact

Social Work phone: 901-595-3670
Toll-free: 1-866-278-5833, extension 3670

Discrimination

What you need to know

St. Jude does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, religion, language, socioeconomic status, protected veteran status, sex, pregnancy, genetic information, payment source, or marital status. As a pediatric research hospital, St. Jude considers patient age and other medical factors when deciding if a patient will be accepted. 

Contact

If you or a member of your family feels discriminated against by anyone, please report this problem right away.

Call 901-595-8383 and ask for the patient relations coordinator.
Email: patientrelationscoordinator@stjude.org

Fake fingernails and nail tips

What you need to know

Artificial “fake” or acrylic fingernails and nail tips hold greater amounts of bacteria and fungus than natural nails. While your child is undergoing treatment, please do not wear fake fingernails or nail tips.

Media requests

What you need to know

If a reporter, photographer, or video team contacts you to do a story about you or your child, please call the hospital’s media team right away. For hospital visits, a member of our media team must be with them at all times.

Contact

Media team phone: 901-595-0564 or 901-595-0221
Email: media@stjude.org

Photography, videotaping, streaming, audiotaping

What you need to know

Please follow the hospital’s guidelines for recording by patients and caregivers. These guidelines are designed to protect the health, safety, and privacy of you, your child, staff, and all St. Jude patients. In the information below, we say “record” or “recording” to indicate photography, videotaping, streaming, or audiotaping.

• Patients, caregivers, staff, and volunteers may not record medical care because it could interfere with the safety and health of you, your child, or staff.
• Staff have the right to refuse to be in any recording.
• Staff cannot take part in recorded interviews about a patient’s care or treatment.
• Always ask before making a recording.
• If you or your child has a medical or communication need that requires recorded information, St. Jude can help you record it or get it in a form that is easy to use.
• Staff may ask you or your family members to delete your recordings or take other actions if they believe the recordings would affect patient care or someone’s privacy. Please comply with these requests.

The following events may be recorded:

• First and last day of chemotherapy (after chemo has been given)
• Birthdays
• Special patient events (such as Halloween or graduation days)
• Images of you or your children while at St. Jude
• You may not take pictures of other children or other patients at these events. You may only take photos of your child.

Contact

If you have a question about this policy, please ask a staff member.

You can also email your question to patientandfamilyexperienceoffice@stjude.org.

If you would like other memory-making ideas, talk to your child life specialist or call Child Life, 901-595-3020.

Release of information

Because of privacy rules, St. Jude staff can only email you if you have filled out the General Consent allowing email communication. If you change your mind at any time after filling out the General Consent, contact Patient Registration to update Communication Preferences. Or you may update the Communication Preferences via MyChart.  

If you need copies of part of your child’s medical record, and the General Consent is signed, contact Health Information Management Services and they will email a copy of the Authorization to Release. This release will allow St. Jude to provide requested Medical Records.

You can also use the Medical Record Request Form in St. Jude MyChart and print the records you need.

Contact

Health Information Management Services phone: 901-595-3680
Toll-free: 1-866-278-5833, extension 3680

Patient Registration phone: 901-595-2010
Toll-free: 1-866-278-5833, extension 2010

Smoking and vaping

What you need to know

The campus is smoke-free for employees, students, consultants, vendors, contractors, and visitors.

No one can smoke in a St. Jude building at any time. No patient under age 18 is ever allowed to smoke or vape. Smoking and vaping are allowed by patients and their family members only in the following marked areas:

• Across the street from the south side of the Richard C. Shadyac ALSAC Tower. This is the building directly behind the Patient Care Center (PCC).
• Outside Tri Delta Place on the southeast corner by the basketball court.

Security officers have maps that show smoking areas. Please respect those who do not smoke. If you must smoke, do so in marked areas only. Smoking, including passive smoking, is harmful to your health and our patients’ health. Smoking rules are strictly enforced.

Please do not expose your children to smoking. Your child’s social worker can give you tips on how to stop smoking.

Social media

What you need to know

St. Jude staff and volunteers must follow rules and regulations that protect patient privacy. They may not “friend” or otherwise connect with patients and their family members on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, CaringBridge, LinkedIn, and TikTok.

To help staff keep healthy professional boundaries, please do not ask them for their personal phone numbers.

Weapons

What you need to know

Weapons are not allowed inside any St. Jude facility. This includes the housing facilities. The rule against weapons inside these buildings includes everyone—even people who are licensed to carry weapons. The only exception is for on-duty law enforcement officers.