Effective Date: 9/13/2022
During the COVID-19 pandemic, visitor guidelines may change frequently to support caregiver safety, community safety, or PPE conservation methods. This document outlines the current visitation policy and guidelines. Any visitation privileges described in the document may be changed and/or revoked without warning as conditions in our community change.
Visitor Policy
Inpatient Visitor Policy: Each inpatient (Adult/Pediatric) is permitted unlimited visitors. However, no more than two (2) visitors may be in the room at any given time. Visitors are asked to rotate to accommodate this guideline; visitors must be 12 or older.
Visitors are not permitted for the following patient populations:
- COVID positive
- There is an ability to further limit visitation by specific unit, patient population, or individual patients as mitigation strategy for infection control purposes
Visitors are permitted for the following patient populations with the following guidelines:
- Quarantined patients
- Allowed 2 visitors. Must wear PPE.
- Children admitted to the hospital
- 2 parents, guardians, or powers of attorney allowed, they can both visit at the same time (for AIU, when approved by the Treatment Team).
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
- 2 parents allowed; they can both visit at the same time.
- Family Maternity Center
- 3 support people allowed; they can all visit at the same time.
- Patient's children, of any age, allowed to visit during visiting hours
- End-of-life patients
- COVID positive and rule out patients – 4 visitors will be allowed to visit at one time, the remaining family members are asked to wait in the cafeteria or outside of the hospital until it is their turn.
- Non-COVID patients – 4 visitors will be allowed to visit at one time, the remaining family members are asked to wait in the cafeteria or outside of the hospital until it is their turn.
Outpatient Visitor Policy: Each outpatient department will determine their own visitor policy based on social distancing capabilities in their space. Outpatient departments are permitted to have up to one (1) visitor per patient, if their space allows.
Any visitor exceptions outside of those identified in this policy need to be approved by the House Supervisor or Nurse Manager. Questions can be escalated to the Administrator on Call for approval, if needed.
Inpatient Visitation Guidelines:
- Visiting hours are 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- Visiting hours apply to general inpatient visitors, they do not apply for those visiting patients who are children, in the Family Maternity Center, or end of life.
- Inpatient Psychiatric Units: Visiting hours are 1530-1730, 2 visitors per patient for 30 minutes at a time
- Children under the age of 18 years of age are generally not permitted to Inpatient Psychiatric Units unless approved by the treatment team.
- All Inpatient Psychiatric visitors must check in via the phone located in the Providence Center lobby.
- Hospital waiting rooms have limited space. Visitors may not congregate in the hallways, but visitors are permitted to visit the cafeteria, coffee shop, and gift shop.
- Inpatient visitors must:
- Be symptom free of COVID symptoms
- Follow universal precautions while in the hospital; includes wearing a hospital provided mask over their nose and mouth at all times, including when in the patient’s room.
- Any visitor who does not comply with hospital rooms and staff instructions will be asked to leave and may not be allowed to return as a visitor.
Visitor Criteria & Special Circumstances
End of Life Visitation
- For the purpose of this policy, end of life is defined as a high likelihood that the patient will die within 48 hours, as determined by the primary physician
- There is no age requirement for end-of-life visitors although minors will be counted as a visitor and must be accompanied by an adult.
COVID Positive and Rule-out End of Life Visitation
- Visitors will be required to don and wear appropriate PPE while in the patient’s room.
- The hospital has the ability to rescind or change this decision based on availability of PPE.
- It is possible a COVID patient’s family may also be COVID positive or under investigation. If so, that family member would not be permitted to visit.
Clergy
Community clergy are permitted to visit non-COVID inpatients and are not considered a “visitor” but rather an extension of Providence chaplains in the provision of spiritual care. Clergy members can include priests, pastors, chaplains or other spiritual leaders.
Non-COVID patients:
- Upon specific request from the patient or the family, outside clergy are permitted to visit the patient in-person. PPE guidelines are to be followed by the clergy member as per hospital guidelines.
- Outside clergy are to follow all screening processes upon entrance to the facility.
- Clergy is limited to one member per visit.
COVID positive and rule out patients:
- No clergy, whether employed by Providence or not, are permitted to visit COVID positive patients in person. All visits from clergy in relation to COVID patients are to be done virtually.
Service Animals
Service animals are permitted in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and should be screened per policy upon entrance to the facility.
Vendors/Couriers
Vendors and couriers are permitted to enter the facility and should self-screen at the vendor screening desk prior to conducting hospital business.
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