24 hour visiting

medicrn13 · Jun 20, 2012

Our visiting hours aren't technically open, but they're technically not not open either...get it? On paper our hours are from 11am - 2pm and from 4pm to 8:30pm, but we aren't very strict on when people come in and when they don't. We usually take it case by case, family by family.

caliotter3 · Jun 20, 2012

When I was a patient, the place might as well have been open. Nobody respected "visiting" hours and I couldn't rest to save my life. I was so happy to leave just to go home to recuperate, something I couldn't do in that expensive hospital room. Common sense seems to go out the window when the suits try to please everybody and forget that patients are sick, injured, or trying to heal.

A-Z nurse · Jun 22, 2012

Help I hate my job now.. we went 24 hour open, my patients get no rest, we have no control people walking in on procedures in process and they think they own the place.. my husband was in as a patient a few weeks ago and from the patient standpoint he hated it too. said peoples cells were ringing all night and they were coming and going he couldn't sleep at all... what ever person came up with this is nutz... all we think about is making the family happy what about the patient and the staff.. we deserve to have some piece. No other job is like this... patient satisfaction scores... choose our hospital people don't come here because they want to.. they have to.. and dont get me wrong we treat our patients top notch.. but I am sick of catering to the family when my patient in the next room is crashing.. I was in a code not to long ago and the family of my other patient actually came to the room and asked me if I could pull up their family in bed.. our hospital didnt change the procedures we just push the button and let in everyone.

Well said.

A-Z nurse · Jun 22, 2012

When I was a patient, the place might as well have been open. Nobody respected "visiting" hours and I couldn't rest to save my life. I was so happy to leave just to go home to recuperate, something I couldn't do in that expensive hospital room. Common sense seems to go out the window when the suits try to please everybody and forget that patients are sick, injured, or trying to heal.

This is an eye opener, coming from the side of the visited.

Bec7074 · Jun 22, 2012

It's all about patient satisfaction and "family-centered care" now. Seriously, there's a bunch of research blowing up on it. I think my last magazine from AACN might have had a research article on it.

However, I stand firm that the ideal pt is intubated, sedated, and has no family.

Where I work we have 24 visiting but it doesn't keep me from telling families that their loved ones need to rest. We also have a "2 or less" family members at one time rule in the ICU. Family cannot sleep at the bedside or they are asked to leave. I usually say things like "if your loved one is sick enough to be in the ICU, then they need rest." or "I know we don't technically have visiting hours, but these are glass doors and other patients are trying to sleep.". Overall, none of my coworkers or I have any complaints about it.

geekchic · Jun 27, 2012

When I was in the hospital about 2 years ago i was having some heart issues and was in the telemetry unit/CCU step down and they had 24 hour visiting and my boyfriend could sleep over. I actually enjoyed it because I was in the hospital for a week and I was away from all other family and it was scary being the patient. But he was good when it came to test and doctor rounds he ask me if I wanted him to step out. But it can be a comfort to the patient.

it could also help that my boyfriend is a cop and was in uniform hahaha

Biffbradford · Jun 28, 2012

If families are disturbing others, then ask them / tell them / demand that they tone it down. Call security if they refuse. Close your patient doors or at least most of the way. If they're nosing around, tell them to mind their own business. Open doors doesn't mean a 'free for all'. It's still a hospital, you're still the nurse, put them in their place. Nurses will always win!

thompd01 · Jul 1, 2012

Our hospital just recently went to 24 hour open visiting in the ICU. It is taking all the staff time to adjust. I can see where it is more satisfying for patients and their families. However, as with any change problems have arose.

I feel the nurse still needs to be the patient's advocate. If the patient needs rest than it's the nurses job to politely communicate this to the family and friends. All situations are different and need to be handled as such. The staff need to keep in mind our goal isn't to make our job as nurses easier but to satisfy customers.

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Jul 1, 2012

All our ICU's have 24 hour visitation, BUT that is for immediate family only. We only let 3 people in after regular visiting hours. If the visitors are being out of control, we warn them and then they get the boot. We tell them cell phone are to be off or on vibrate and if they need to speak on them, they have to leave the unit. We deal with parents wanting to touch, etc the babies all the time and you do have to be an advocate on their part. Like we tell some of them...how would you like it if you were sick and someone kept bugging you...bet you'd be mad!

We have a visitation policy that we give to the main visitors (ie spouses, mothers, fathers, etc) they have to read it and then sign it. If they don't abide by it, their visitation is cut off.

daisy2daisy · Jul 3, 2012

Help I hate my job now.. we went 24 hour open, my patients get no rest, we have no control people walking in on procedures in process and they think they own the place.. my husband was in as a patient a few weeks ago and from the patient standpoint he hated it too. said peoples cells were ringing all night and they were coming and going he couldn't sleep at all... what ever person came up with this is nutz... all we think about is making the family happy what about the patient and the staff.. we deserve to have some piece. No other job is like this... patient satisfaction scores... choose our hospital people don't come here because they want to.. they have to.. and dont get me wrong we treat our patients top notch.. but I am sick of catering to the family when my patient in the next room is crashing.. I was in a code not to long ago and the family of my other patient actually came to the room and asked me if I could pull up their family in bed.. our hospital didnt change the procedures we just push the button and let in everyone.

I am sick of it all. I am at the point of hating nursing :/

RNRVR · Jul 4, 2012

I work on a step down critical care adult unit. While generally the patient problems are multifactorial all are cardiac patients with continuous telemetry monitoring. A large number of patients are considered "heavy" and as such may have an active dx of AMS new onset or simply a dx with baseline cognitive impairment. Despite being overwhelmed with this category of patients the unit is not equipped with bed alarms on every bed, and fall prevention remains an ongoing issue.....not that a five patient assignment coupled with various high risk patients with active dx or sx such as ETOH withdrawal, ALZ, s/p CVA, delirium, sundowners, or AMS secondary to uro sepsis makes bed alarms the answer to patient safety. After only one year on this unit and countless high fall risk patients I have managed to prevent any falls from occurring with regard to my assigned patients/and other patients as well. Countless redundant fall related documentation is required albeit the time required for such charting remains a hindrance from actual time availed to the patient. Care companions or sitters are made available rarely as often the PCT's or Certified Techs are pulled from the unit shift resources to sit at the patient bedside, leaving the unit understaffed beyond a stretched patient to HCP ratio. 24 visitation has been a welcomed resource I have utilized in part to help keep the patient safe and improve upon the patients needs being met (sad but true) despite being located in one of the wealthiest counties in my State and Country. Not always are there family members available to remain bedside, either due to circumstance or simply refusal to do so, and not always does a patient have remaining living relatives at all. On occasion there are family members that have earned a general reputation by staff as being difficult. My approach is to make the family feel welcome and cared about as they are there under stressful circumstances to support and care for their loved one in their own capacity. I pursue the enhancement of communication, remain courteous and avoid robotic auto pilot nursing which banishes small talk and laughter. Always inquire what my patient's "number one" may be on that given day or hour, never excluding a family member concern or number one problem, in turn making their concern(s) a high priority for me as well regarding their overall care. The family can offer insight and valuable pieces of information which may enhance a plan of care, and overall outcomes. For instance a patient may have c/o valid sx sharing them only to their family, slight nuances of change like decreased conversation over several hours may be picked up by such family prior to any HCP. So for these reasons and many more I always appreciate total patient care with inclusion of their valued family unit.