The diagnosis and treatment of illness and disease can result in a range of stressful circumstances for patients, their families, and significant others. Most patients and families require assistance and support at different times and in different ways from people important to them. This support may involve someone to assist in decisions about medical care, someone to provide companionship, or someone to provide care in the home after treatment. For some patients, their support may come from immediate family members. For other patients, their support may include other relatives, neighbors, friends, coworkers, or clergy.
- In general, family members and visitors are welcome during visiting hours unless there is a special circumstance.
- The patient or the patient's designated representative, in conjunction with the registered nurse and healthcare team, may make visitation limitations.
- Family and visitors will not be denied access to the patient without legitimate reason, as determined by the hospital.
- Special considerations that determine the amount of time family and visitors spend with the patient include:
- Clinical and emotional needs of the patient.
- Overnight stays by one family member are only permitted if the patient requests.
- Having family or visitors present must not put the patient at risk or bring the patient harm. Examples include exhaustion, overstimulation, or marked increase in agitation.
- Family member’s or visitor’s inability to meet hospital infection control policies.
- The need to maintain a sterile environment during bedside procedures.
- Limitations as requested by the patient or patient’s designated representative.
- Space limitations in patient rooms.
- Patient, family, visitor, or employee safety issues.
- Visitors or family members with prohibitive legal documentation, such as applicable restraining orders, will not be allowed to visit.
- Children should always be accompanied by an adult other than the patient. Visits by children younger than 14 years of age should be coordinated with the patient’s registered nurse and the patient or patient’s designated representative.
- Note: There may be unique and extenuating circumstances (i.e., imminent death, impending surgery, etc.) that require compassionate exceptions to these guidelines.
Family and Visitor Behavior
Family and visitors are expected to abide by conduct supportive of the hospital environment. Family or visitors may be asked to leave the premises if they become disruptive or interfere with the general comfort and care of the patients, visitors, or staff. Hospital security will be notified to handle disruptive issues as needed. Family or visitors may not smoke, consume alcohol or illegal drugs while on the hospital campus.
Special Considerations
- One visitor may remain overnight except for CVICU post-op day 1. The visitor must be able to safely stay alone and take care of their own needs.
- Children may not remain overnight in a patient room.
- Patients in police custody and/or correctional services custody will not be permitted to have visitors.
Inpatient
- 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. are daily visiting hours though times may vary by specialty units.
- Visitors must be at least 14 years of age or older.
Critical Care Areas
- 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Rest period 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- 3:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Mom-Baby
- 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- There can be no more than three visitors in the room at any time.
- Siblings of the newborn may visit the unit with direct supervision at all times and accompanied and supervised by another adult other than the admitted patient during visiting hours.
- Only one adult visitor is permitted overnight in the patient room.
- Visits by children during hospital visitation hours should be coordinated with the patient’s nurse and with the patient or the patient’s designated representative.
- Children visitors are not allowed as overnight guests for patient safety and are not allowed to be unattended in visitor waiting rooms and can only be in the patient room with a supervising adult at all times.
Labor and Delivery
- Labor and Delivery (2N) TRIAGE patients may have one designated visitor declared by the delivering mother on arrival.
- Labor and Delivery (2N) ADMITTED patients may have three designated visitors declared by the delivering mother upon admission and while the patient is in labor, and no switching of visitors.
- Designated visitors on Labor and Delivery (2N) must be 14 and older.
Nursery
- Level II Nursery admissions are allowed four designated adults per infant declared by the delivering mom.
- Only two visitors are allowed at one time in the Special Care or Continuing Care Nursery areas if conditions permit and cleared by birth mother, intended parents or DSS (Department of Social Services) or nursery staff.
- No switching of visitors outside of the four designated visitors.
- Designated visitors (other than minor parents) in Level II Nursery (2N) must be 17 and older.
Clergy Visitation
- Community Clergy who has an AnMed Clergy badge has been approved for visitation by the Spiritual Care Department. Their AnMed Clergy badge should always be visible.
- Please allow them to visit, pray, and provide support to patients and families as needed in the units.
Pediatrics
- Visitors under 14 years of age are not permitted.
Emergency Services (ED)
- Adults: One visitor for patients 18 or older is preferred, unless more than one visitor is deemed necessary for the good of the patient by the primary nurse or physician.
- Adolescents or children: Two visitors will be allowed in the exam room with patients 17 or under.
Peri-anesthesia Services
- Visitors are not routinely allowed in the acute recovery areas. Family and visitors are not routinely allowed in the acute recovery areas (PACU) with the following exceptions:
- Children 18 years of age and younger are permitted to have parents/guardians stay with them.
- Mentally emotionally challenged patients or patients with special needs may have family at their bedside.
- Extended stay/overnight patients/ICU patients may have visitors at their bedside.
- Trauma patients may have family at their bedside.
- To maintain patient confidentiality and infection control, the family at the patient's bedside should be limited to two at a time.
- Family is requested to remain by the patient’s bedside while visiting.
- Children visiting in the acute recovery area shall be at the discretion of the healthcare team, patient, and family. Children under the age of 16 years should be prepared prior to visitation and the acute recovery area by a Child Life Representative.
- The family of patients and the pre-op/ambulatory surgery unit will remain in the waiting room until called into the unit.
- Family may stay with the patient until transferred or discharged.
Behavioral Health, North Campus
- Patients are given information sheets upon admission to the Behavioral Health unit regarding visitation days/times.
- Patients indicate who they wish to visit, and two visitors are allowed to visit at a time.
- All visitors must sign a confidentiality statement before their visit and sign the visitation record of the patient they are visiting.
- Visitors must be at least 14 years old.
- When visitors arrive for visitation, a staff member is present in the waiting room and the staff member instructs visitors on locking up personal items in provided lockers.
- All packages must be inspected by the nursing staff prior to giving them to the patient.
- Patients are provided an allowable items list upon arrival to the unit.
- Former patients are not allowed to visit current patients on the unit for at least six months from their time of discharge. With an order from the attending psychiatrist, a former patient may visit if they are a member of the current patient's immediate family.