Visitors and Security

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital takes visitor safety and security seriously. We want our patients, families, visitors, faculty, and staff to have the best possible experience during their time here. St. Jude does not restrict visiting rights based on the visitor’s race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. 

Visitor policies

Patients feel supported when they can visit with friends and family. These visits can help improve a patient’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being. 

Patients are allowed to have visitors who are approved by 1 or more of the following:

• The patient
• The patient’s legal representative 
• A support person (usually parents or family members)

Adult patients and minors with certain legal rights may choose a support person.

A patient may not be able to have visitors, or they may have a limited number of visits, if the visits would:

• Interfere with their care 
• Interfere with the care of others
• Be a threat to others on campus

Our staff can visit with patients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as needed for their care and treatment. We do not give out any information about a patient over the phone. 

Safety and security

St. Jude works hard to keep both the campus and patient housing safe. To ensure safety:

• We are a gated facility.
• Alcohol and illegal drugs are not allowed.  

If you know that someone wants to visit the hospital who could put our campus at risk, please tell Security and the patient’s social worker.

Weapons

Only on-duty law enforcement officers are allowed to carry weapons. No other weapons are allowed, even for those who are licensed to carry weapons. Weapons cannot be stored on campus, in patient housing, or in vehicles.

If you have a weapon with you when you get to campus or patient housing, please talk to the security staff right away. They can make a plan with you to remove the weapon from campus, patient housing, or your vehicle.

Parking and construction

We offer free valet parking on campus for patients and families. 

Valet parking hours are Monday–Friday, 5:30 a.m.–11p.m. You may pick up and drop off your car at the Patient Care Center (PCC) Circle Drive.

You may also park your vehicle on campus, but you must get a parking tag from Security at the PCC and Target House. Be sure to have your license plate number with you when you get your tag. Your tag is valid for 6 months.

Visit our parking and construction webpage to learn more. 

St. Jude safety contacts

It is important to follow safety measures as instructed by staff. Report any security concerns as soon as possible. This includes things like:

• Theft 
• Damage to property
• Vehicle accidents
• Disturbances
• Suspicious behavior
• Weapons
• Illegal drugs
• Alcohol
• Abuse

In an emergency, call:

• Security: 
  • From a hospital phone; dial extension 4444
  • From a cell phone: dial 901-595-4444 
• Fire: 
  • From a hospital phone: dial 3499
  • From a cell phone: dial 901-595-3499
• Life-threatening emergency: 
  • First: Dial 911
  • Next: Dial security at 901-595-4444

If you use a St. Jude phone, do NOT dial 9 to get an outside line first because the Security Operations Center will not know you made an emergency call. Stay on the line and be ready to tell the person who answers about the emergency.

Security officers and off-duty Memphis Police Department (MPD) officers are on campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition to calling the numbers above, you can ask a Security officer or MPD officer for help.

Security call stations

Call stations are for anyone who needs help. They are there for both emergency and non-emergency situations. These include situations in which:

• You or your child are suddenly sick
• You have a problem with your vehicle
• You are locked out of your vehicle
• You see something suspicious
• You need a ride to a building 
• You would like a security officer to walk with you after dark

Security call stations are located:

• In the Tri Delta Place parking lot
• At our pedestrian gates
• Inside the parking garages
• By the parking garage elevators

If you need help at any time, day or night, push the button on the call station. When you push the button, the call connects to the Security Control Room. The security control officer will send an officer to help you.

Child safety

Although we take steps to protect children on our campus, a parent or caregiver is the best person to teach a child about personal safety. Your child should understand that the hospital is a public place. You should practice safety precautions so they are easier to remember when needed.

For everyone’s safety, children (including siblings and guests) must be supervised at all times. They may not wander freely in the hospital or on the grounds. 

Here are some things you can do to help keep your child safe at St. Jude:

• Be sure your child always wears their patient identification armband while they are in the hospital. Our staff uses this armband to identify your child before your child is given any treatment. You can remove the armband when your child leaves the hospital for the day. 
• Everyone visiting campus, including patients and families, must wear ID badges.
• Go with your child to each appointment when you can. If you cannot be with your child in the treatment area, ask for the name of the staff member who will be caring for your child.
• If you do not recognize the name of a staff member, ask for identification. Each employee wears a picture name badge.
• You must supervise siblings. If possible, leave siblings with an adult when you bring your child to the hospital. If you cannot leave siblings with an adult, please bring an adult with you to watch siblings while your child gets care.
• Report any suspicious person or behavior to a St. Jude security officer, call the security 24-hour control desk at 901-595-4444, or call extension 4444 from a hospital phone. 
• If you cannot find your child, tell a member of the St. Jude staff. That person will call the clinical coordinator who, along with Security, will help you find your child.
• Keep a recent color photo of your child with you at all times. We can use it to help locate your child.

Visits to inpatient rooms and ICU

A patient’s care team will help you prevent infection. They will teach you how to use hand sanitizer and wash your hands when you enter and leave a patient’s room. 

To prevent the spread of diseases such as COVID-19, visitors who may have an illness that could spread between people are not allowed to visit inpatients (patients who are staying in the hospital). In some cases, such as when a person with symptoms is the child’s only support, they will be allowed to visit. These visitors must wear a mask and take other precautions. 

To prevent the spread of illness, no more than 3 people at a time are allowed in an inpatient room or the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). This includes parents and siblings.

Visitors can enter the hospital:

• Through the Patient Care Center (PCC) main entrance
• Using the shuttle entrance with the red awning on the south side of the Danny Thomas Research Center

Visits to the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit

Infection prevention steps are critical for our patients who are treated with bone marrow transplants. These patients have weak immune systems, so they cannot fight off disease as easily as others. We follow the wishes of the patient’s parents or guardians about who can visit. We screen visitors and caregivers for symptoms of illnesses that can be spread to others, and we keep this information private.

Learn more about Transplant Unit safety and infection control

Personal property

We have a luggage checkroom in the lobby of the Patient Care Center (PCC). A security officer at the PCC Guest Services Desk will check in your luggage. Label your items with your name and phone number. 

St. Jude is not responsible for lost or stolen property. Secure your personal property at all times. Mark your items with your name and phone number. This will help staff return the items if they are lost.

Do not bring jewelry and other valuables that you cannot always keep with you. If you find items left by other St. Jude families, please take them to the Guest Services desk in the PCC or Chili’s Care Center.

Learn more