Visitor Policy

• Inpatient Hospital Visiting Hours are 12-8pm daily.
• Medical Intensive Care, Neurological, CTICU and Surgical Intensive care units is 12-6 pm and 8 -9:00 pm to allow for clinical rounding.
• Inpatient Visits are limited to two people per day during designated visitation hours.
• Emergency Room visiting hours are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• For the Adult ED and 1East CDU, we will only allow 1 visitor per patient.
• All visitors must be 12 years of age or older.

Visiting hours: 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

• Emergency Department: Two (2) visitors per patient/per visit.
• All visitors must be 16 years of age or older.
• Hospital Visitors: Main Lobby entrance only. Two (2) visitors per patient/per visit.
• Daily visitation is from 8:00 am - 8:00 pm. This includes Mother/Baby, 1N, 2N and 4N.
• Labor & Delivery: Two (2) support persons who are essential to patient care throughout labor, delivery and the immediate postpartum period. These people can be the patient’s spouse, partner, sibling, doula or another person they choose.
• 3K Unit: One (1) visitor per patient/per day. Monday through Friday 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm and 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm. Saturday and Sunday, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm.
• 3N Unit: Two (2) visitors per patient/per visit. Monday through Friday 4:00 pm - 10:00pm. Saturday and Sunday 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm.
• ICU: Two (2) visitors per patient/per visit between 10:00 am – 8:00 pm.
• Same Day Surgery and Procedures: Limited to two (2) companions and those companions may remain in the hospital designated waiting area until patient is discharged, unless disallowed by the hospital according to the patient’s condition, circumstances or hospital policy. Upon discharge, visitors will be allowed to the unit to pick up the patient and be educated by the staff.
• COVID-19 Patients: Two (2) visitors per patient/per visit. Daily visitation is from 8:00 am - 8:00 pm. Visitors must adhere to all procedures while visiting.

• Visiting a COVID-19 positive patient is allowed. One visitor per day. The visitor will be educated on the use of gown/gloves upon arrival to the unit. Exceptions to this must be approved by Administrator on Duty on a case by case basis.
• General In-patient visitation hours are 12pm to 8pm daily with a limit of two visitors at the bedside at a time to ensure social distancing. Exceptions to this must be approved by Administrator on Duty only.
• Persons age 18 years and older are permitted to visit.
• Visitors will be required to supply their contact information and the Hospital visitor pass system will record information provided. Visitors will receive a visitor pass (sticker) which must remain visible during their visit. Upon leaving the building, visitors are asked to return visitor passes to the Security desk in lobby or ED waiting area.
• Prior to entry into the building visitors are required to self-screen for COVID symptoms. Upon entry visitors will sign in and attest that they are symptom free. • Visitors will be advised how to perform hand hygiene.
• Patients and visitors will wear masks according to CDC guidelines. Procedural masks will be available for use as needed. Visitors are expected to follow isolation precautions and will be directed to wear additional PPE as directed by the staff. Visitors who fail to wear a face mask and/or PPE as requested will be asked to leave the facility.
• Once in the facility, visitors must remain in patient’s bedside throughout the visit unless instructed by staff to leave during certain procedures including aerosol- generating procedures, or other procedures or circumstances for which visitors are usually asked to leave, or to use the restroom, and must be appropriately distanced from any other patients or staff. (see below for unit specific guidelines)
• Patients sharing a room are encouraged to keep curtains drawn.
• One visitor accompanying a patient having ambulatory surgery will be permitted to wait in the main hospital lobby and one visitor accompanying a patient having an ambulatory endoscopy procedure may wait in the endoscopy waiting room. Other visitors are not permitted to wait in the lobby or in waiting rooms at this time for extended periods of time.
• If a visitor becomes injured or ill while a guest in the hospital, nursing personnel will assure that the visitor is made as comfortable as possible and is safely transported by wheelchair or stretcher to the Emergency Department for treatment. In the event of an emergency, a Rapid Response or CE (Cardiac Emergency) will be activated. (An Incident Report will be filed immediately by Security.)

Visiting hours are 12:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

• Two visitors per patient.
• Upon discharge, visitors will be allowed to the unit to pick up patient and be educated by the staff.

Visiting hours are 12:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

All visitors must be 12 years of age or older.

Medical Units and Step-Down: 12:00 p.m.– 8:00 p.m.

CTICU, MICU2 and SICU: 12:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. and then 8:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m.

Visitors are limited to no more than two (2) at a bedside, unless extenuating circumstances

Emergency Department:

Visitors are limited to no more than two (2) at a bedside.

Visitation may be restricted during time of high patient volume.

• Hospital Visitors: Main Lobby entrance only. Two (2) visitors per patient at a time. Daily visitation is from 8:00 am - 8:00 pm.
• Same Day Surgery and Procedures: Limited to one (1) companion and that companion may remain to accompany the patient to the OR holding area until the patient goes in for surgery/ procedure and then will be directed to wait in the hospital designated waiting area until patient is discharged, unless disallowed by the hospital according to the patient's condition, circumstances or hospital policy.
• COVID-19 Patients: Visitors are allowed. Visitors must adhere to all procedures while visiting.
• Visitors must be at least 12 year of age and must be supervised by an adult visitor. Visitation for children under the age of 12 year of age will be made on a case-by­ case basis determined by the hospital.

One support person essential to patient care throughout labor, delivery, and the immediate postpartum period is permitted. This person can be the patient’s spouse, partner, sibling, or another person they choose. In these settings, this person will be the only support person allowed to be present during the patient’s care. This individual would be provided the appropriate PPE and remain for the duration.

Doulas are allowed to accompany the birthing couple to provide practical and emotional support during their in-patient hospital stay.

Two (2) support persons who are essential to patient care throughout labor, delivery and the immediate postpartum period. These people can be the patient’s spouse, partner, sibling, doula or another person they choose. These individuals would be provided the appropriate PPE.

• The patient will be allowed two support persons in Labor and Delivery. The first support person essential to patient care throughout labor, delivery, and the postpartum period including recovery is permitted with unlimited visitation. This person can be the patient’s spouse, partner, sibling, doula, or another person they choose. This individual will be provided the appropriate PPE as determined necessary.
• If the first support person has tested positive within 89 days they will not require a COVID-19 test upon arrival. Proof of PCR testing must be provided and they must be outside the 10 day quarantine period.
  • A. If the significant other is negative and the patient is negative OR positive The patient and significant other will remain in L&D room and transfer to post-partum ‘as a unit’. In the event of a cesarean section or difficult delivery in the OR, the significant other CAN be permitted to accompany the patient in the OR.
  • B. If the significant other is positive and the patient is negative OR positive The patient and significant other will remain in the L&D room and transfer to post-partum ‘as a unit’. In the event of a cesarean section or difficult delivery in the OR, the significant other WILL NOT be permitted to accompany the patient in the OR and would be required to remain in L&D. If the support person has confirmed COVID-19 and is symptomatic, they are not permitted to stay and the patient must choose a different support person.
  • Switching of the support person (in Labor and Delivery) is not permissible unless preauthorized by the hospital administration under special circumstances.
• A second support person may be present in labor and delivery. This person may be the patient’s parent, sibling, doula, etc. The second support person must show evidence of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 5 days. Once the patient is ready for transferred to the postpartum unit, this second visitor may only visit during regular hospital visitation hours.
• The first support person(s) will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., fever, sore throat, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches or diarrhea) and conduct a temperature check prior to entering the clinical area and every 12 hours thereafter for the remainder of the person’s presence at the bedside.
• According to the guidance, when providing personal protective equipment to a support person, instructions on PPE conservation strategies should be provided to minimize unnecessary waste (i.e., prolonged wearing).
• Only 1 other visitor other than the first support person (usually the partner), over the age of 18 years will be permitted to visit during general visitation hours on the postpartum unit.
• NICU – Parents are permitted unlimited visitation.

Labor and Delivery Visiting Hours for Primary Support Person Only : 24 hours, all week, Monday - Sunday.

Maternity Visiting Hours for Grandparents of Baby: 2pm - 4pm, all week, Monday - Sunday; all other visitors from 7:30pm - 8:30pm, all week, Monday - Sunday.

One support person essential to patient care throughout labor, delivery, and the immediate postpartum period until discharge are permitted. This person can be the patient’s spouse, partner, sibling, or another person they choose. In addition, a certified doula may attend labor and delivery. These individuals would be provided the appropriate PPE. 

The support person will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., fever, sore throat, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches and/or diarrhea) prior to entering the clinical area.

According to the guidance, when providing personal protective equipment to a support person, instructions on PPE conservation strategies should be provided to minimize unnecessary waste (i.e., prolonged wearing).

If a support person tests positive for COVID-19, they will be permitted to stay providing that they do not have any symptoms. If, at any time, the support person exhibits any symptoms, the support person will be asked to leave the facility immediately. In this situation, through informed decision-making, the patient and family may choose to select a different support person to be present with the patient.

For Planned Induction or C-Section: The patient and primary support person will be tested for COVID -19 at St Charles Hospital, no more than three days prior to scheduled admission. Primary support persons with negative PCR or COVID-19 positive (without exhibiting any symptoms), are permitted to accompany patient during cesarean section and remain with patient until discharge.

For Unplanned, Spontaneous Labor: The patient and primary support person will be tested for COVID-19 upon admission to St. Charles Hospital. Primary support persons with negative PCR or COVID-19 positive without symptoms, are permitted to accompany patient during cesarean section and remain with patient until discharge.

If primary support person tests positive for COVID-19 prior to planned admission (cesarean section/induction), the patient may elect another primary support person. That person will need to be tested for COVID-19 at St. Charles Hospital.