FAQ
What is the best time to visit?
In most areas, visitors are welcome between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
How many people can visit at one time?
Due to the size of rooms and recovery areas, it is best to limit visitors to two people at a time. Large families should alternate visitors during the day.
Can children visit?
Families who want to bring children to visit in the hospital should check with the patient’s caregiver before arriving with a child. In general, healthy children younger than age 12 may visit at the discretion of the hospital staff, based on the clinical condition and well-being of the patient. Children should not visit if they
have a runny nose, cough, sore throat, diarrhea, rash or fever. Children who are visiting should be supervised at all times while at the hospital. Children younger than age 12 should not remain in waiting
areas. They should be brought for a visit and returned home promptly because the waiting areas are not designed to meet the needs of children.
Are there any restrictions on visitation?
Hospital staff want to offer open access for visitors, but, occasionally, visitors must be limited in the best interests of the patient or visitor. Here are a few examples that cause the need to restrict visitors:
- Patient’s need for privacy and rest
- Patient’s risk of infection by the visitor
- Visitor’s risk of infection by the patient
- Extraordinary protections due to a pandemic or infectious disease outbreak
- Reasonable limitations on the number of visitors at any one time
- Behavior disruptive of the functioning of the patient care unit
- Behavior presenting a direct risk or threat to the patient, hospital staff or others in the immediate environment
- Restriction on visitors based on clinical conditions (or procedure in progress), as deemed appropriate by the patient’s physician
Are Intensive Care Unit (ICU) guidelines different?
Yes, because people in the ICU have conditions that are more serious, the guidelines here must be stricter and designed to meet each patient’s need for rest, safety and privacy. We know that visitors can play an important role in the healing process, so we balance that with the ICU goal of providing care in a private, respectful manner that focuses on preventing the development and spread of infection. During certain procedures, care interventions or treatments, or if a critical or life-threatening situation
arises, you may be asked to leave the patient’s room. Please wait in the designated waiting area during this time. Having a loved one in the ICU can be difficult and stressful. We urge you to take care of
yourself by eating meals and getting rest. Therefore, we encourage you to return home for the night. Join us in creating an atmosphere that promotes healing by observing these ICU guidelines:
- General visitors (excluding clergy) are welcomed at 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., two at a time, for 20 minutes.
- Rest periods are from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m., 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Please refrain from visiting during these times.
- One support person may remain at the bedside, except during rest periods.
- Children should be age 12 or older (no younger children, please).
- Do not wait in the hallways, because that can impair our staff’s access to patients.
- Set your cell phone to vibrate for incoming calls and keep the calls as brief as possible to ensure a quiet, restful atmosphere.
- Use of photography, recording devices or social media by visitors in ICU is strictly prohibited.
- Keep your valuables with you at all times. Visitors’ belongings should not be stored in the patient’s room. Willis-Knighton Health System will not be responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.
- Help us protect your loved one from infections as noted below:
- Always wash your hands, use alcohol foam or hand sanitizer before entering and upon
leaving the ICU.
- Do not take food or beverages into patient rooms.
- Do not give food or water to the patient without checking with the nurse.
- Use restrooms in the visitor area. Do not use the bathroom in the patient room/ICU.
- Do not bring live plants or cut flowers into ICU rooms.