Resident Guidelines

• A $25.00 fee per night per family is requested in advance. Length of stay is limited to no more than two days prior to surgery or admittance to hospital, during the child's stay in the hospital and up to seven days post surgery. The eligibility to stay longer will be reviewed and reestablished after that period. Fire safety regulations allow only four persons per room.
• The Ronald McDonald House Management reserves the right to inspect rooms at its discretion for compliance with House rules.
• Smoke detectors located in each bedroom are inspected on a monthly basis.
• Only approved registered residents may stay in your room. You must occupy your room every night. If you're going to be gone for more than 24 hours, you must check out. If space is available, you may check in again if necessary.
• You may have visitors. However, to protect the privacy of other families, we ask that your visitors leave by 10:00 PM. Our parking area is available for use by you and your visitors.
• Patient's siblings are welcome, of course, but please remember, it is your responsibility to insure that your children do not disturb other residents-particularly after 10:00 PM. If your child becomes disruptive please restrict the child to your room after 10:00 PM.
• Children must be supervised at all times. Playroom hours are 9:00 AM-9:00 PM. We ask that you observe these hours since there are bedrooms located adjacent to the playroom and that you straighten up the playroom as necessary.
• THIS IS A SMOKE-FREE FACILITY! Absolutely no smoking is permitted anywhere inside the House. You may smoke on the outer walkways of the building.
• No alcohol, weapons, or illegal drugs are permitted.
• Failure to comply with either the smoking or alcohol regulations will result in a demand for your immediate departure.
• The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island's staff and volunteers cannot provide any medical or medically related services of any kind. You are fully responsible for both non-emergency and emergency services. The House will, of course, help to arrange for emergency services. A Release and Discharged From Liability form is included in the resident package.

Communications

• Please advise your doctor, nurses, family and friends of your room number so they will be able to reach you after office hours.
• The telephone in your room can be used to call 911, 1-800, the office (extension 30), the House Manager (extension 134) and the hospital (dial 88 before 470-the ext.). There are pay phones on each floor. Please use the pay phones when making 516, 718, and 212 area code telephone calls.
• Thanks to AT&T, calling cards are available for your convenience on a limited basis. Please speak to the House Manager for details.
• Please use the Resident Register located outside the main office. This chart helps volunteers direct your calls. We will gladly take messages if you are out of House, or will forward calls if necessary.
• Check your mailbox for messages and/or mail regularly.

Kitchen

• The general food supply is for your use. Coffee and tea are always available for you to enjoy. A limited supply of milk and juice is available. Please help replenish when needed. Consume food and beverages in the dining area only. This will help us keep general areas clean and will help with insect control. Please remember - No food is to be taken to your bedroom.
• You will be assigned cabinet space and a refrigerator shelf. The freezer is for general use. Please mark all food you buy with your name and your room number. Labels and markers are in the kitchen for your use.
• Please rinse and scrape your dishes and utensils and put them in the dishwasher. Use only dishwasher detergent powder and please run the dishwasher when it is full.
• Your consideration for the next residents using the kitchen, dining and pantry facilities is deeply appreciated. Please leave these areas in the condition that you would like to find them. Do not leave dishes or pots and pans in the sink. Keep refrigerators clean and orderly. The kitchen area is available for your use 24 hours. When staff washes and waxes the floor, please work around him. Absolutely no food preparation will be allowed in the bedrooms at any time.

Laundry and cleaning supplies

• We will provide you with laundry detergent so that you may launder on clothes, bed linens, and towels during your stay. You will be required to launder quilted mattress pads, zippered pillow covers and comforters prior to checking out. In an effort to keep our House comfortable, we ask you to help by keeping your room and bathroom clean. The House does not have a cleaning service. Please help us by keeping the general areas tidy. Cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, and a vacuum cleaner can be obtained in the office. "With your help we can keep our costs down and maintain the beauty of our home."

Let's keep our handmade quilts beautiful - please remove and hang them on the blanket rack in your room. These quilts were donated by the Long Island Quilte Association over 10 years ago. Over 5000 families have used the rooms and we are very proud of the condition of the quilts.

• toothpaste and toothbrushes
• soap; shampoo/conditioner
• combs and brushes
• hairdryer
• shower caps
• shaving cream and razors
• cotton puffs, Band-Aids and gauze pads
• heating pad
• diapers; baby wipes
• cribs and playpens; baby bathtubs
• car seats; baby monitors

Safety & Security

• Rooms should be kept locked at all times. Please Do Not Let Strangers Into The House. Be sure to discuss this with your children. Additional security precautions are included in your resident packet.
• Fire Safety - Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the fire exits and rules located on the back of your bedroom door. Also note the location of the fire alarm box nearest your room.
  If there's a fire in your room, leave the room immediately, close the door. Pull the nearest fire alarm located in the hall.
  If the fire was not in your room - remain in your room, call the main desk (extension 130 or 133). You'll be advised of precautions to be taken. Do not leave the room if the door is hot or heavy smoke is in the hall. Proceed to the nearest smoke-free stairway and exit the house. Please remain in the front yard where the House staff can account for all residents. Do not use the elevator in case of a fire.
• Power Failure - In case of power failure, an emergency kit containing a flashlight and batteries is located in your room closet. Please do not use candles or lanterns.
• Medical Waste - Must be placed in a red plastic bag and brought to the office for disposal. All syringes and needles must be broken and placed in cardboard boxes. Please dispose of diapers, ostomy bags, sanitary napkins and tampons in plastic garbage bags which are available in the pantry closet. Do not flush them down the toilet. A detailed description of infection control instructions is included with your resident kits.
• Residents & Children with Infections, Colds, Coughs, etc. may be asked to stay in their rooms or to stay away from other children and residents. Children receiving treatment are very susceptible to infectious diseases. For that reason, we ask that you follow the rules. Children with infections of any kind may not use the playroom. Children and adults who have been exposed to chicken pox, mumps, etc. should use extreme caution so as to not infect other residents in the house.

Checking out

• Bring folded dirty linens and towels to the office.
• Launder zippered pillow covers, and quilted mattress pads and put back on bed.
• Comforters should be laundered if stained or used more than one week.
• Clean bathroom sink, toilet, floor, and tubs thoroughly. Cleaning supplies and a sponge mop are kept in the pantry.
• Vacuum and dust entire room thoroughly.
• Empty all trash baskets and replace plastic bags. Bags can be found on top shelf in pantry.
• Check drawers and closets for forgotten belongings.
• Remove food from your refrigerator shelf and kitchen cabinets. If you are not taking these items, please mark them for general use and place in general use section of the refrigerator.
• Return all borrowed books and toys to the library or toy room.
• Return borrowed cribs, strollers, etc. to the office.
• Return anything borrowed from the hospital directly to them.
• Return all keys and pay all charges.