Visitation Guidelines
General Patient Visitation Guidelines
- Normal hospital visiting hours are generally from 11:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST for the Medical Floors
- Visiting Hours for the Behavioral Health Unit are as follows:
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MONDAY – FRIDAY 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM |
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SATURDAY 1:00 PM – 3:00PM |
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HOLIDAYS 1:00 – 3:00PM & 6:00 – 8:00PM |
MAJOR HOLIDAYS INCLUDE: Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day
- Maximum of 2 visitors at a time for each patient
- Special consideration may be given to visitation outside of these hours at the discretion of the patient’s charge nurse or senior charge nurse/house manager. This determination is made prior to sending visitor to patient’s location.
- Visitors will need to sign in at the front desk/lobby, and receive a visitor badge at the Main Entrance Lobby Desk, the Family Health Center Lobby Desk, the Emergency Department Entrance, Same Day Surgery or the Ambulance Entrances
- Visitors will visibly wear a visitor badge above the waist on outermost garment for the duration of the visits
- Visitors who engage in disruptive, threatening, violent, potentially destructive behavior (including bringing of contraband onto the unit and/or giving contraband items to patient, and appear- ing/demonstrating impairment from drugs or alcohol) will have their visitation limited or with- drawn. Security will be notified of such behavior.
- For patients in isolation:
- Visitors are required to follow isolation precaution procedures and wear appropriate PPE before visiting with patient,
- Visitors receive education on appropriate isolation precautions. If a visitor refuses to wear appropriate PPE, document in record visitors refusal. Provide instruction to visitors on hand hygiene before and after entering and exiting the room.
- Latex balloons are not allowed in patient care areas, for the protection of the patient and other individuals with latex allergies
Behavioral Health Unit Guidelines and Agreement
*All visitors must present valid ID during visit. Visitors will be asked to sign the BHU Visitation Agreement before their visit. In order to safely facilitate visitation on the Behavioral Health Unit, the following guidelines and procedures must be followed.
- Visitation must be limited to 6 patients at a time
- Only 2 visitors per patient will be allowed in the visitation room at a time
- All visitors must sign in with Guest Services
- All visitors must consent to be searched before visiting with a patient
- Any visitors who do not consent to be searched will not be permitted to enter the Behavioral Health Unit
- Any device with picture or recording capability must be locked up and not present with the visitor while they are on the Behavioral Health Unit
- Any visitor who refuses to lock up these devices will not be permitted to speak with a patient
- Visitation must be monitored by at least 1 BHU staff member and 1 Public Safety Staff member
- Visitors will use main elevators located on the Prairie Street side to get to the 4th floor
- Each patient visit should last no longer than 20 minutes (in order to allow for all patients to receive visitors)
- Unless documented by a physician and agreed upon by a BHU Manager, all visitation will be restricted to the agreed-upon hours
- No outside food shall be permitted to be brought for patients
- Visitation is restricted to individuals that are 18 years of age or older