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Visiting the Intensive Care Unit

Key Points About Visiting the ICU:

• Regular visiting hours are from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., and 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
• Please announce your visit. Use the wall phone in the waiting area, or notify the volunteer when you arrive.
• Handwashing is the single most important procedure in a hospital for preventing and controlling the spread of infection. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer when entering and leaving the ICU.
  
• To protect the health of our patients, please do not visit if you feel unwell, have a cold or other respiratory infection.
• A "password" will be required to obtain patient information from a health care provider. This password is not required to visit patients.

Visiting

Mornings and evenings are busy times in the ICU. Nurses and respiratory therapists change shifts between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., and again from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. If possible, please do not call or visit during these hours. Nurses and respiratory therapists are exchanging detailed information about patients, performing thorough assessments, and providing medicines and treatments at this time. After the morning shift change, staff will participate in morning rounds, bed baths, dressing changes, x-rays, and other routine care.

Although visiting hours are flexible, we ask that you visit after 12 noon. Before coming into the ICU, please talk with the volunteer, or use the wall phone in the visitor waiting room to call directly into the ICU (extension 33361). It is very important that you announce your arrival to ensure the dignity and privacy of all patients.

Visitors may be limited to two at a time. We ask that visits be limited to those who are closest to the patient. The number of times you may visit and the length of visits may be limited due to the unpredictable nature of critical care. Understand the Medical-Surgical ICU is unpredictable: things may not always go as planned. This can be frustrating, but we ask for your understanding.

We are flexible and will work with you to meet your needs and the needs of the patient.

 

Please contact us with any questions or comments about this web site.

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