[RNperdiem]

Today I took my 2 young sons, ages 3 and 5 to visit my 97yo grandfather in his facility.
As so often happens, my kids recieved so much positive attention! Lots of the old folks there just brightened up and told the boys how cute they were. Everywhere there were smiles and waves for the little guys.
What a different culture. Usually in public places, kids are often regarded as a nuisance. Here they were treated like visiting princes.
Do you see this where you work?

[bethin]

Yeah, I see it too. I work med/surg so we don't see too many young kids d/t our recent outbreak of MRSA and c-diff. I do occasionally work the LTCF that is attached to our hospital and the elderly there LOVE seeing kids of any ages. I guess they probably miss their grandkids and seeing any children remind them of the happiness they felt as grandparents caring for their grandchildren.

In public, I don't see kids as nuisances. I was a kid once and I'm sure I threw my share of fits in public. People often forget that.

[SillyStudent]

I have no problem with kids visiting, in appropriate situations. I have a real problem with kids visiting their cdiff and VRE infected grandparents who are on a vent. It scares the kids and puts them at risk for infections, especially since their parents do not always see the need to follow isolation precautions.

That being said, I think kids are a real morale booster when they visit in appropriate situations.

[namaste_71]

I think it depends on how the kids act. If they spend the majority of the time running around, screaming and carrying on, and getting into things while Mom and Dad are yelling at them, then it's definitely a disruption. If they're reasonably well-behaved, then why not welcome them?

When I was a kid, I almost always got to visit my grandmas and grandpas if they were in the hospital. The only exception was back in the early 1980s. I was 10 and my grandpa was in ICU with end-stage congestive heart failure. No kids on the unit.

I also agree with Silly Student ... keep the little ones out of areas where there's a high risk of infection (for their safety as well as the patient's). Same might go for critical care units where patients are on a lot of monitors, etc.

[calla2114]

We let anyone into our ICU...usually it does not bother me, if the kids are a little older. I let the patient ( if they can) decide or leave it up to the parents of the children. It does get to me when I see little babies being held over the faces of very sick people..I mean little like just weeks old. They do not have a mature enough immune system to fight off half the bugs that grandma is carrying. And more often than not the patient gets tol stressed out with a bunch of visitors 24/7. OK that is a whole different topic.

[nurse hobbit]

Usually I don't mind seeing kids> than 4 on the floor. What irks me to no end is when the pt has MRSA, C-Diff, VRE or Pneumonia, they bring infants that are less than 12months to see pt.

I also wish the parents that brought kids to visit would take care of them, not let them run up and down the halls, yell and scream when told no about something.

But the ones that get me the most are" do you have anything I can give Little Johnnie to drink, any crackers, or maybe ice-cream? Please people this is a hospital, take care of little Johnnie before bringing him for a visit or don't bring him at all.

The one that really got me was one lady had a 6month on a visit, called me to the room and pointed to the dirty diaper she had put on the over bed table and very clamly says" that needs to be thrown away" So I very potiley returned with a small red back and said " here you are" then left the room.

[racing-mom4]

We have a large Amish population---so talk about VISITORS!!!! Oh me oh my....
I really have no problem if it makes the patient happy-I am happy and I do bring in extra chairs and have been known to stuff my pockets full of graham crackers for their little ones to munch on.
The only time I have a problem is when we have an RSV baby/child in and the room is filled with 5 other kids, half of them barefoot.

[mom and nurse]

I always felt that visiting grandkids were "GOOD MEDICINE". Usually the patient is happier when they come for a visit.

[CapeCodMermaid]

In one of my facilities, we had an on site day care. It was wonderful for the parents, the kids, and the residents who often visited the day care to help out. Well behaved children are always welcome as visitors but on occasion I have had to ask the parents to take the kid home if 1. they were popping wheelies in the hall in someone's wheelchair, 2. sneezing and coughing with God knows what kind of infection, or 3. wandering in and out of other residents' rooms. We are NOT a baby sitting service.
I've also told parents--when asked for my opinion--not to bring little kids in to visit a grandma or grandpa who is going to die. Wouldn't you rather they remember their grandparents as healthy people?

[Spidey's mom]

My 6 year old always came to visit me at work and knew exactly where the graham crackers and juices are.

My in-laws do a church service in our LTC every Thursday and take him. The elderly folks love it.

I too don't think kids should be allowed to misbehave.

steph