VISITING GUIDELINES

• Spending time with loved ones during a hospital stay benefits both patients and visitors. The following guidelines will help make your visit more pleasant:
• Call ahead to make sure your loved one is feeling well enough to have visitors.  Ask when he or she would like you to visit and for how long.
• Ask the patient before bringing infants or small children
• Be considerate of scheduled visiting hours.
• Tobacco use any of any kind is not permitted.
• Respect privacy by knocking and waiting for permission before entering the room.
• Be mindful of other patients and be careful not to disturb them with excessive noise or other activities.
• Limit the number of visitors in your party to no more than two at a time.
• Before bringing a gift of food or flowers, be sure to ask about the patient’s dietary restrictions, allergies, personal likes and dislikes, and hospital rules.
• To avoid spreading infections to patients, do not visit if you are ill.
• Please wash your hands frequently
• Honor any “no visitors” signs or other instructions that may be posted in the hospital.
• Allow the patient to make comfort-related choices, such as visit length and frequency, whether lights are on or off, and when to watch television.
• Be considerate and respectful of the patient’s privacy—step out of the room if a procedure or consultation needs to be performed while you are present.
• If the patient has requested that his or her health information not be shared with family and/or friends, please respect that choice.
• Avoid the temptation to offer advice. It’s helpful to ask questions and even more important to simply listen to the patient’s fears, concerns, and thoughts.
• Rest is an important part of recovery. Keep your visit brief (15 minutes or shorter) unless your loved one asks you to stay longer.