Visiting hours?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in ICU, trauma.

I am just curious about other facilities visiting hours, specifically in the ICU.

We have a new policy that basically says that we encourage family to visit and stay the night. Visitors have started to treat a patients room more like a hotel room as a place for them to stay. We even have fold out beds in each room.

It has causes a lot of problems, especially on night shift. During the night i generally use some of the free time to go through lines to replace expired, or soon to be expired lines. Give baths, change sheets, etc.

I have actually has family members try and shut patient room doors because they are trying to sleep. Under no circumstances would shutting doors on patients on a vent & multiple gtts ever be acceptable. Or they get extremely annoyed about the beeping.

It has put me in an uncomfortable place as an RN and creates bad rapport with the family because i am constantly kicking them out of the room or i have to enforce the little policies that we do have like NO food in the room and no children under 12 (except is very specific situations).

We have brought this to the attention of our manager but she tells us this is non-negotiable and helps with patient outcomes.

Sorry, this has actually just turned into a rant of sorts. I am just curious about other facilities. Or if anyone has any tips to help with over-night visitors.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Our visiting hours went by the wayside around 10 years ago. The only restrictions are for 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the afternoon in the critical care units, but exceptions happen routinely.

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Specializes in Hospital medicine; NP precepting; staff education.

Man, when I was a tech-retary (secretary and nurse tech) on the ward I loved making the announcement at 845pm, "Your attention please. Visiting hours will be ending at 9 pm." Then at nine I'd remark on the overhead page that visiting hours were over. GLORIOUS.

Now with the ACA the patient is allowed to designate a person to remain with them, but I'm not sure if the public are aware of this. However, visitors lack the tact, respect, or giving a flip that 24hr care is just that and their presence interrupts this not only for their dear one but of others in the unit.

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I suggest focusing on building relationships with families instead of thinking in terms of "constantly kicking them out" and being an "enforcer." Obviously you prefer more restrictive visiting arrangements, but try not to show this attitude to the patient or their family as numerous studies and patient/family member accounts show that unrestricted visitation is beneficial for both patients and their family members. Family members are more likely to be reasonable and co-operative with you if you treat them respectfully and considerately in the knowledge that they are the patient's support system, will often be caring for the patient when they are discharged, and very often know a great deal about the patient's medical condition/s and are able to help the patient during their stay by advocating for their needs. Often just a request that the family members don't shut the patient's door because it could endanger the patient and hinder them from receiving prompt care, or explaining why it is necessary for the pumps to beep, will be sufficient for the family member/s to change their behavior. From your post history I understand that you are a recent graduate, so I am surprised that unrestricted visiting is a new concept for you. Nursing care is centered on the patient and their family, not on what is most convenient for the nurse.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

We just advise families upon admission that in the ICU, care continues through the night. Baths, routine xrays, incontinence care, repositioning, etc happen. We support their desire to be with their loved one, but we can't promise that their sleep will be uninterrupted-- because it will get interrupted.

With certain difficulties, like the family who put a bunch of air mattresses into the family waiting room, or whose toddlers were crawling around at 0200 -- true stories -- we don't enforce ourselves. We call security and ask them to address the situation.

Most people in my experience though, when explained why we have to leave the door open, or require privacy when pt's body exposed, why we need to maintain unfettered access to the patient (so no, all y'all can't bring your camping gear) etc they understand. Might not love, but understand. :)

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Specializes in ICU, trauma.
We just advise families upon admission that in the ICU, care continues through the night. Baths, routine xrays, incontinence care, repositioning, etc happen. We support their desire to be with their loved one, but we can't promise that their sleep will be uninterrupted-- because it will get interrupted.

With certain difficulties, like the family who put a bunch of air mattresses into the family waiting room, or whose toddlers were crawling around at 0200 -- true stories -- we don't enforce ourselves. We call security and ask them to address the situation.

Most people in my experience though, when explained why we have to leave the door open, or require privacy when pt's body exposed, why we need to maintain unfettered access to the patient (so no, all y'all can't bring your camping gear) etc they understand. Might not love, but understand. :)

The toddler issue is one we see a lot...Do you call security for that too?

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