King's Daughters Medical Center recognizes the importance and the rights of patients to have visitors, however, it also recognizes that its primary purpose is to help improve the health of the patient entrusted to its care. On those occasions where situations of visitation potentially distract from the promotion of the healing process, action may be taken which restrict or otherwise control visitation.
GENERAL GUIDELINES:
1. Visiting hours are 8 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
2. No more than two visitors per patient are recommended
3. Children under age 12 may visit patients at the discretion of the House Coordinator.
4. Children under age 12 in the Hospital lobby must be accompanied by an adult.
5. Members of the opposite sex may not stay over night in a semi-private room unless approved by the House Coordinator.
6. Only one adult visitor per patient may stay over night in a private or semi-private room.
7. Information regarding patients' location should be obtained from visitor's information desk only.
8. At times other than visitation hours, one (1) immediate family member may remain with a patient in every area with the exception of ICU.
9. It is recommended that only two (2) visitors maximum per bed may visit and wait in an inpatient or outpatient's room during the pre and peri-operative period.
10. Visitors are encouraged not to eat in a patient's room. Visitors are encouraged to eat in the Courtyard Café (cafeteria).
11. The Emergency Room Entrance is for emergency patients only. During visiting hours, visitors and non-emergency patients must enter the hospital through the front entrance only. Visitors and non-emergency patients who come to the hospital after visiting hours are over at 8:30 pm (for something other than emergency care) must enter the hospital through the emergency department and must receive special permission to visit a patient or department.
12. Clergy may visit at any time.
13. Inpatient and outpatient surgery patients should enter the hospital through the main lobby.
14. Visitation will be restricted or terminated for non-compliance with established visitor policies and/or declared emergency situations for the Hospital.
ICU-CCU:
1. ICU visiting hours - 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., every 2 hours for 10 minutes. There should be only one visitor at a time with a maximum of two per 10 minute visit.
2. Overnight visitors for ICU in the ICU waiting room should be limited to two per patient.
3. Calls to the ICU will come through the main switchboard.
LDRP:
Visiting hours for postpartum patients 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Visitors for laboring patients may wait in the LDRP family lounge on second floor. Laboring patients may have two visitors, other than spouse or significant other, in the room during labor as their condition allows. Visitors may not wait in the corridor during deliveries or at any other time. During delivery, visitors will be limited to two, including spouse or significant other. Postpartum patients may have two visitors. Fathers of the newborns, siblings, and grandparents may visit at any time, but siblings must be accompanied at all times by an adult. Fathers, siblings, and grandparents will be issued appropriate buttons to wear to denote their relationship to the patient. These buttons must be worn at all times while visiting in the hospital.
EMERGENCY ROOM:
One person (preferably a family member) may accompany an adult ER patient into an examining room. Both parents may accompany an ER patient who is a minor into an examining room.
Visitors may be asked to leave the room while the physician conducts his examination.
SURGERY:
Guidelines have been established to handle requests to observe the performance of an operative procedure within the Surgery Department.
1. The observation of an operative procedure by non-operating room personnel is NOT encouraged and will be permitted only under the following circumstances:
A. The patient must give his consent for visitor observation during his surgery prior to the administration of any mind-altering drugs.
B. Visitors must be justified and coordinated with the nurse manager or designee, the anesthesia department and operating practitioner.
2. All supply and equipment representatives must justify and coordinate visits with the nurse manager and attending operating practitioner. Their presence in the operating suite will be for demonstration and proper care and handling of their product only. They will not be allowed to scrub or assist during a patient procedure.
3. Any surgeon that has a visiting physician (other than an active medical staff member) present in OR should complete a visitor permit. The visiting physician will not be allowed to assist or scrub on any procedure unless he/she has completed the credentialing process.
4. Medical and nursing students will be allowed in the operating suite for observation only. The nursing instructor or surgeon is to make all arrangements for participation for the student. The nursing instructor or surgeon will accept responsibility for the student.
