Oaklawn’s goal is to identify and establish key elements of a healthy environment for patients. These include the presence of supportive family and loved ones, and an environment that is safe, secure, and quiet.
Key Components of Visitation
- Patients are encouraged to identify a designated responsible party as the individual to whom the hospital will expect to communicate with generally, concerning the patient.
- Upon admission, the admitting nurse will provide the Med/Surg and Critical Care Unit (CCU) patient with a pass code. Patients are encouraged to share this pass code with their one identified designated responsible party. This code will allow the clinical staff to share patient information with this individual. If the patient is unable to select a designated responsible party the hospital’s policy for determining who is able to make decisions for the patient will be utilized to select a caregiver.
- One designated responsible party or family member (18 years of age or older) can stay overnight in adult care units. Children are not permitted to remain with the hospitalized parents who remain overnight.
- Visiting hours for visitors will be open on all units unless indicated per department.
- The hospital will be secured from 9 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. The front doors are locked and the Emergency Department is used as the entrance/exit. Please contact security for assistance.
- Children (age 12 or younger) require adult supervision at all times. See additional information under specific department rules or considerations.
- Visitation privileges may be revoked if the visitor/patient’s behavior interferes with patient care.
- Restriction of visiting hours may be imposed to limit the spread of contagious disease to patients and/or the general public either within the hospital or in the outpatient facilities. Visitors with obvious symptoms of an infection (usually respiratory) will be asked to not visit patients until they are symptom free. In certain rare circumstances, visiting restrictions may be imposed on the recommendation of Infection Control/Medicine Section Chief and by the authority of the President & CEO or designee.
Specific Department Considerations
Birth Center
Effective February 13, 2025, to protect the health and well-being of our patients, staff, and visitors amid rising respiratory illnesses in the region, we are implementing temporary visitor restrictions in the Birth Center.
Only healthy household members (including siblings) and grandparents will be permitted to visit. Household members are defined as those residing in the same home as the infant. Anyone displaying respiratory symptoms will not be able to visit.
At this time, no other visitors will be allowed until further notice. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in maintaining a safe environment for everyone.
During Labor and Delivery
- At the time of admission to the Birth Center, all visitors/family members with the exception of the patient’s care partner will be asked to wait in the waiting room. Once the initial assessment is complete up to 3 visitors may be permitted in the Labor, Delivery, Recovery, and Postpartum (LDRP) room as requested by the patient.
- Only 2 to 3 visitors/family members, one of which is the care partner are permitted in the LDRP room at time of delivery unless previous arrangements (prior to labor) have been made with the physician in collaboration with the nursing staff. This includes any labor support person (Doula or Midwife). While laboring the visitors will be allowed to switch if the patient desires. Keeping the number at 2 to 3 at one time during labor. Once the patient has delivered and is stable there can be no more than 3 visitors at one time over the age of 12. If more than 3 visitors are present, others will be asked to wait in the waiting room. Visitors and family members are prohibited from waiting in the hallway outside the patient rooms during either labor or delivery. This is all subject to change based on what is best for the patient and infant, at the nursing staff’s discretion.
- Children under the age of 12 are allowed to visit provided they are healthy and are siblings of the infant. (All other children, not siblings, MUST be over the age of 12).
- Visitors will be required to wear a sticker at all times which is non-transferable to another visitor.
Postpartum Care
- Healthy Children under the age of 12 are allowed to visit provided they are siblings of the infant, all other children must be 12 years old to visit in the Birth Center
- Infants may remain in patient rooms during visiting hours. All individuals handling the infant should first wash their hands for a minimum of 15 seconds before holding the newborn.
- Masks are provided and are optional for any visitor wishing to wear one.
- 1 family member/care partner will be allowed to spend the night, and no children or siblings of new baby will be allowed to spend the night. Any family member who plans to spend the night with postpartum patient must be at least 16.
- Visiting hours will end at 7 or 8 p.m. for post-partum patients (when announced overhead). An exception for newly delivered patients may be made at the discretion of the nurse.
Critical Care Unit
- Visiting hours in the critical care unit shall be at the discretion of the Registered Nurse caring for the patient in conjunction with the patient (if able) and their designated responsible party.
- Family members or visitors are limited to two at one time as determined by the RN. Children under the age of 12 years will not be allowed to visit.
- In certain situations it may be appropriate and necessary to further modify visitation as determined by the nursing staff in collaboration with physician.
Emergency Department (ED)
The Register Nurse and/or Security will monitor family members and visitors:
- One family member or visitor is allowed per patient in the Emergency exam room. Visitors are asked to wait in the waiting room until the nurse deems it appropriate to enter the patient’s exam room.
- If the patient is a child, two adults may remain in the room.
- In certain emergency situations it may be appropriate and necessary to further modify visitation as determined by the ED staff in collaboration with the emergency physician and security.
- Visitors shall be issued a sticker by security that they must wear at all times. This sticker is non-transferable to other visitors.
- Children (age 12 or younger) require adult supervision at all times. Supervision of the visitor that is a minor, cannot be provided by a hospitalized patient.
Med/Surg
- Family members or visitors are limited to two at one time as determined by the RN. Children under the age of 12 years will not be allowed to visit.
- In certain situations it may be appropriate and necessary to further modify visitation as determined by the nursing staff in collaboration with physician.
- Minor patients require adult supervision at all times while hospitalized.
Psychiatric Center
Visiting will occur in a manner that prevents disruption of the treatment program and ensures the safety of the patient, staff and visitors and protects the privacy of the patient population.
- Visiting hours shall be no less than three times weekly for 1 ½-2 hrs. per visit.
- A patient may at any time refuse visitation.
- Only visitors ages 18 and over will be allowed on the unit.
- A maximum of two (2) visitors per day with only one (1) visitor per patient, at a time.
- Special arrangements may be made for visitation.
- Clergy and other professional visitations are limited to reasonable times that don’t interfere with programming, if prearranged with the nursing staff.
- Visits from a private physician, court representative, or a patient’s attorney will not be limited if the visit involves patient care or legal inquiry issues.
Surgery
- Family members or visitors are limited to two at one time.
- Due to space limitations in our surgical waiting room, remaining visitors/family members will be asked to wait upstairs in the lobby.
- Family members will be allowed to switch out but must remain in the patient’s room with only two at one time.
- In certain situations, modifying the visitation policy further may be appropriate and necessary, as determined by the nursing staff, in collaboration with the physician.