When you are visiting patients in the ICU, we ask that you follow some rules in order to assure that our patients receive the best care possible while in our units.

Visiting Hours

Visiting times are 9 a.m., 1 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 8:30 p.m. and last 30 minutes each. Restricting the visiting hours to these times ensures that we are able to perform procedures efficiently and protect our patients privacy during procedures.

We restrict visiting to two visitors per patient. This is very important for safety. In the event that a patient becomes unstable, it is essential that we be able to move quickly in order to assist him or her. It is also important to allow our patients to have a calm environment for recuperation.

Who Can Visit

We have a very strict policy of restricting visitation to adults and children 12 years and over. This is because the immune systems of younger children are not able to fight off the same illnesses that adults can. Even if the individual that you are visiting is not suffering from a contagious illness, others in the unit may be. These diseases may not affect adults, however they can be very dangerous to children.

Visitors who are ill or who have been ill recently are asked not to visit. This is because our patients have a suppressed immune system and can contract infection easily.

ICU Policies and Procedures

All patients in ICU are considered to be at a high risk for falls. This is because they are connected to multiple pieces of equipment and are often on medications which may interfere with coordination. Because of this, we ask that you do not assist patients with standing or getting out of bed.

When calling to check on a patient’s status, we require a password in order to release any information. Without this password we will be unable to provide any patient information over the phone. Please do not call the unit between 6:00am and 7:30am and also between 6:00pm and 7:30pm. During these times our nurses are exchanging report. It is neccessary to be uninterrupted to ensure that a full report and be given to the oncoming shift. Also, we ask that you designate a family member to call the ICU. Each time a phone call is answered, time is taken away from the patient. Multiple phone calls decreases the time that we are able to spend with patients. If multiple calls become a problem, we may limit the number of calls that we are able to answer each shift.

We welcome gifts for our patients, however we ask that no live flowers are brought into the unit. This is because live flowers often carry small particles that are dangerous to the health of respiratory patients.