Hospitals cracking down on who can enter

Boog'sCRRN246, RN · Oct 30, 2009

A hospital in my area recently started doing this. I believe it is limited to children under 18 entering the Mother/Baby unit and L&D as a precaution for H1N1.

jessiern, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2009

A hospital in my area recently started doing this. I believe it is limited to children under 18 entering the Mother/Baby unit and L&D as a precaution for H1N1.

The facility I work at does not, but other local hospital have started doing so for the same reason. If fact, the hospital I plan to deliever at will not allow anyone under 18 to visit. My brother is one month away from 18, and I hate to be "one of those patients" asking for special treatment, but I really hope they make an exception for him. He is so excited about the babies birth.

CarsonsMommy · Oct 30, 2009

We currently have nobody under 19 allowed in our hospital. Especially in OB ... Our hospital has had alot of swine flu in the past 2 weeks, it's a nightmare...

:stdnrsrck:

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2009

No one under 18 allowed in our area.

We have minimal visiting anyway because it is such a hectic area so. No kids are allowed to begin with.

dcampbell · Oct 30, 2009

How are visitors respnding?

If someone complains enough, are they given their way?

With the emphasize on "customer service" are hospitals really willing to upset visitors?

If a child was not allowed in due to age, are they just left unattended in the waiting room while the adult visits the pt?

Any there any health checks/questions of visitors before they see a pt?

AuntieRN · Oct 30, 2009

My hospital at this time is not allowing anyone under the age of 19 to enter unless to visit a very critical pt. This is due to the swine flu breakout. Otherwise normally anyone can enter at anytime.

SoundofMusic · Oct 30, 2009

They're doing it at our hospital due to the supposed H1N1 emergency.

In some ways, I'm happy about it, as I think it cuts down on the visitors who are just lollygagging around w/ nothing better to do, so they come to visit grandma or their friend, or whomever and crowd the rooms for no good reason.

I think, though, for a PARENT who is hospitalized -- to prevent them from seeing their kids while hospitalized is really almost just cruel. It's very tough to tell a patient they can't see their children while they're in for a week or more.

I also think exceptions should be made for patients in critical condition. It seems immediate family members and the patients must have some rights.

I dont know the answer. I think the whole flu thing is a bit overblown myself, but I also feel way too many people mill around our hospital. I often wonder if some of these people are even visiting anyone and arent' just homeless or something finding a place to sleep in our lobbies.

We work on a neuro floor, however, and it can sometimes really help to allow family members to sit by the bedside and watch the patient, keep them from falling, etc. We are making a lot of exceptions on our floor.

I know if I was hospitalized and in a serious condition, I'd be pitching a FIT for my 8 year old to be allowed to see me.

StrwbryblndRN · Oct 30, 2009

Our hospital is the same. The exception is for end of life or father to be under 18.

Only 2 people are allowed to visit at a time. Meaning anyone wanting to see "Bob" has to wait in the lobby for others

to finish visiting, can't wait in the hallway.

I hope exceptions are made for parents with smaller kids that have to be in the hospital for a length of time.

If it is just a couple of days then they can wait.

Meredith09 · Oct 30, 2009

The facility I work at does not, but other local hospital have started doing so for the same reason. If fact, the hospital I plan to deliever at will not allow anyone under 18 to visit. My brother is one month away from 18, and I hate to be "one of those patients" asking for special treatment, but I really hope they make an exception for him. He is so excited about the babies birth.

At a month away from 18, I sure hope they would exercise some common sense and let him in...otherwise (I totally shouldn't suggest this, but...) FAKE ID TIME?? It's silly to say that someone that is 17 years, 364 days old is somehow a threat and someone one day older isn't.

belgarion · Oct 30, 2009

I see too many cases in ERs where someone brings in a young child for a bad case of the sniffles and all the aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and relatives of friends use the occasion to hold a reunion in the ER waiting room. One child receiving treatment, two dozen running wild in the waiting room disturbing people who are really sick and the one or two family members who brought them in. I wish they would make a no kids policy there.

On the other hand, one of the hospitals in our area just started a "no one under 19" policy. The problem is the geniuses who came up with it didn't make exceptions for spouses or parents who are under 19. So at this moment there is a 17 year old mother whose baby is in the hospital for pneumonia and she is not allowed to visit. The administration says they are "taking the matter under consideration" and will make a decision sometime next week.

The law of unintended consequences is alive and well.

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2009

only limitation at mine is one visitor per ER patient....wish that could transfer to the floor!