My brother and his wife had their baby boy this am at 30 wks due to a placental abruption. He has RDS and is on the vent.
I'm going tomorrow to see my brother and his family but I've been told that I will not get to see my nephew in the NICU. My mom told me that only the parents, grandparents and a pastor/priest are allowed to visit and no one else can see him, even with a parent.
I'm not a NICU nurse but all 3 of my children were premature and the NICU where my children stayed allowed all visitors (except siblings under the age of 3 and other children under the age of 14), as long as they were with a parent. Grandparents had a certain time period each shift where they could visit without a parent.
I understand about infection and noise control. And I would never dream of going into the NICU by myself to see a child (besides my own). I know I can see pictures of him but the nurse in me would like to see him for myself. They do have windows but unfortunately he is the baby that is farthest from the window.
I just don't understand how a pastor/priest could visit over a blood relative. I understand patients (and their parents) need to have their spiritual needs met but they can go in when immediate family can not? I'm just curious if this visitation policy is outdated or is this what NICUs are going to start doing.
We allow up to 8 visitors that the parents designate who can come into the unit at anytime without mom and dad, related or not. Parents can also choose not to allow any visitors without either of them at the bedside.
Any visitors not on the list and siblings over 8 must have mom or dad must be at the bedside. Only siblings can visit, no other children under 18, even with babies mom or dad.
We screen, espcially with RSV season, for anyone who may be sick. We ask them if they think they are sick to stay at home for a few days. If they are obviously sick, we dont allow them in, even with masks. This one is one of the hardest to inforce because the neos and residents wear masks when they are coughing/sneezing.
Only 2 visitors may be at the bedside at a time. So if there are multiples, there can be 2 visitors per baby with in limits.
Usually only the parents are allowed to hold/feed the baby. Grandparents/aunts/uncles can if given permission by the parents.
I usually don't offer to allow them to unless I know its OK. We usually dont let the babies on the vent come out, but if they have been on there for a while and are stable, some nurses will, but I have seen too many extubations, and close calls on extubations. CPAP if they will tolerate it.
We have 24-7 visitation, except with surgeries, a death, codes etc. I wish we could have them leave at report time for the nurses. Sometimes with several sets of parents, its hard to give report or find a place to give report when they are all listening in.
I recently visited a unit that had a neat policy I would love to see in our unit. They had "visiting hours" in the afternoon for non-parent visitors. Still had to be accompanied by a parent, and obviously flexible if the nurse thought the rest of the family needed to be there.
I am all for patient centered care, but the staff and physicians need time with just the patients and parents.
I actually love the concept of patient centered care, I just hate that the management types interpret it so wrongly. In our unit, it basically means, "don't **** any families off." Sometimes, in order to do the very best for your patients and their families, you have to step on some toes. Snotty little kid been wiping his nose with his hands then touching the baby? Too bad, it's patient centered care. Ask parents to not let them touch the baby, and you will no doubt be "called to the principle's office" as someone said up above.
I am so glad we have supportive management when it comes to visiting! We follow our rules very closely, and yes there are times for exceptions.
The one that parents hate is this: You must have your band on, if not you have to have a picture ID to get in, no exceptions. If you don't have a picture ID then you will have your picture taken by our manager who will then post it at the front desk and at the bedside. Yes, the secretary may know you, but the nurse taking care of your baby may not. And rattling off your band number doesn't matter either...anyone can memorize a number. It usually only takes once for them to forget their ID and no amount of arguing can change it. We have had to call security, who always backs us up also. No ID, no entry, end of story.
This sounds a lot like ours.. except people come in smelling like a chimney and they hold..
When I did my externship this summer in L&D, we had a baby that had clear lungs for two days, and then on the third day, was congested.
Pediatrician, who was covering for the regular physician that day (and hadn't met the parents yet), said, "Does the Mom or Dad smoke?"
Turned out they constantly went out for cigarettes and the physican told me that they can develop conjestion, that small, from second hand smoke off of clothing.
We are pretty family centered as well, but I think we have a good mix of that along w/ some rules...
Only 2 people at the bedside at a time, one of which must be a parent.
No children under the age of 12 are allowed to visit, except for siblings. Each sibling is allowed to be at the bedside 2x / week, for 20 min each time. Every time they visit, the parent must fill out (and sign) a form that states that the child isn't sick, and/or hasn't been exposed to anything contagious...
Parents are encouraged to be present for rounds on their individual baby. When rounds are being done on the other babies in the room, we ask that parents leave for a that time for privacy reasons.
We also ask that parents leave during nursing shift report as well. The parents are usually pretty understanding about this - they get the whole privacy thing.
We used to do as you are doing now - but it was considered not to be family centered...even during rounds parents of all the babys are allowed in the rooms if they wish now. The limit at bedside is parents plus two people per baby (gets interesting with multiples).
When I did my externship this summer in L&D, we had a baby that had clear lungs for two days, and then on the third day, was congested.
Pediatrician, who was covering for the regular physician that day (and hadn't met the parents yet), said, "Does the Mom or Dad smoke?"
Turned out they constantly went out for cigarettes and the physican told me that they can develop conjestion, that small, from second hand smoke off of clothing.
Blew my mind.
YES!!! Man some people just smelly to high heaven too!!! There have been times we have moved a baby to a private due to the family smoking so much...and they are all advised not to around the baby of course once home.
and no one else can see him, even with a parent.
Preemienurse23
214 Posts
We allow up to 8 visitors that the parents designate who can come into the unit at anytime without mom and dad, related or not. Parents can also choose not to allow any visitors without either of them at the bedside.
Any visitors not on the list and siblings over 8 must have mom or dad must be at the bedside. Only siblings can visit, no other children under 18, even with babies mom or dad.
We screen, espcially with RSV season, for anyone who may be sick. We ask them if they think they are sick to stay at home for a few days. If they are obviously sick, we dont allow them in, even with masks. This one is one of the hardest to inforce because the neos and residents wear masks when they are coughing/sneezing.
Only 2 visitors may be at the bedside at a time. So if there are multiples, there can be 2 visitors per baby with in limits.
Usually only the parents are allowed to hold/feed the baby. Grandparents/aunts/uncles can if given permission by the parents.
I usually don't offer to allow them to unless I know its OK. We usually dont let the babies on the vent come out, but if they have been on there for a while and are stable, some nurses will, but I have seen too many extubations, and close calls on extubations. CPAP if they will tolerate it.
We have 24-7 visitation, except with surgeries, a death, codes etc. I wish we could have them leave at report time for the nurses. Sometimes with several sets of parents, its hard to give report or find a place to give report when they are all listening in.