No visiting hours?

RNperdiem, RN · Jun 17, 2015

Slightly off topic, but I have a vintage 1950s childrens book about nurses, and visiting hours were two to three times a week for 2-3 hours. A nurse would then ring a bell, and all visitors would have to leave. The patients stayed in wards of 12-24 beds, so I could see why there would be restricted visitation.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jun 17, 2015

Slightly off topic, but I have a vintage 1950s childrens book about nurses, and visiting hours were two to three times a week for 2-3 hours. A nurse would then ring a bell, and all visitors would have to leave. The patients stayed in wards of 12-24 beds, so I could see why there would be restricted visitation.

In my experience, for many people it might as well have been a magical fairy wand! An announcement would be made overhead....ignored....second announcement....ignored....nurse/aide makes rounds, extends "personal invitation" to leave.....visitor still there....second request from staff to please allow the patients their rest.....security sent in.....visitor leaves at least an hour late, after complaining that "no one told them". :no:

Fiona59 · Jun 17, 2015

On the floors in my hospital it's 11:00 to 20:00. At 20:00 there is a page telling visitors it's time to go.

We'll turn a blind eye for around a half hour and then ask them to leave.

My favourite Charge would go around at 2010 and remind people of the announcement. At 2030, he'd offer to have security help them find their cars. Most left without a peep.

There are times we are counting the minute until 20hr.

ICU and Post Partum have no posted hours and it's up to the Charge to keep things in order.

The last thing a post-op patient needs is a relative sitting at the bedside chowing down on a bucket of KFC while complaining that the patient is going to puke and they never, ever puke. The smell is horrid.

NursesRmofun, ASN, RN · Jun 17, 2015

On the floors in my hospital it's 11:00 to 20:00. At 20:00 there is a page telling visitors it's time to go.
We'll turn a blind eye for around a half hour and then ask them to leave.
My favourite Charge would go around at 2010 and remind people of the announcement. At 2030, he'd offer to have security help them find their cars. Most left without a peep.
There are times we are counting the minute until 20hr.
ICU and Post Partum have no posted hours and it's up to the Charge to keep things in order.
The last thing a post-op patient needs is a relative sitting at the bedside chowing down on a bucket of KFC while complaining that the patient is going to puke and they never, ever puke. The smell is horrid.

I really do believe in visiting hours (limits) for the sake of most everyone involved. It worked well (at my last hosp. job) when people left by 8 or 9 p.m. I only had maybe 1 of 5 patients family members stay over on occasion and sometimes none had an overnighter. But, if the patient really wants someone to stay with them, if they stay out of the way of walking and working, etc., I think it's okay. As someone else said, the rooms are small, especially with an IV and a chair and sometimes a W/C and more. We still had 2-patient rooms on the last unit I worked.

Yucko....imagining being nauseated and having KFC eaten next to me! ugh!

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Jun 17, 2015

I was inpatient for kidney surgery last week and it was just my luck that my roommate had nonstop visitors all day and half the night. Yap, yap, yap, most of it in Tagalog, and it never stopped until I finally asked the nurse for earplugs so I could sleep. I think that was when Roomie got the hint that I needed rest and asked her visitors to leave. I hope I never have to go through that again!

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Jun 17, 2015

We have general visitation from 10-10 in our unit and the other ICUs , parents have 24 hour visitation. The whole hospital is general visitation from 8-10, they can have one designated person stay 24 hours but has to be run by the unit managers.

If the selected person is a problem, can ask them to leave. You can also still have general visitation hours.

This is from Joint Commission:

EP 28

EP 29

The hospital allows a family member, friend, or other individual to be present with the patient foremotional support during the course of stay.

Note: The hospital allows for the presence of a support individual of the patient's choice, unless theindividual's presence infringes on others' rights, safety, or is medically or therapeuticallycontraindicated. The individual may or may not be the patient's surrogate decision-maker or legallyauthorized representative. (For more information on surrogate or family involvement in patient care,treatment and services, refer to RI.01.02.01 EPs 6-8.)

Karou · Jun 17, 2015

Our Med Surg floors have no limits on visiting hours. Most people visit in the daytime. A few will stay overnight like a spouse with the patient. We only ask anyone to leave if they are disruptive to the patient or other patients.

NursesRmofun, ASN, RN · Jun 17, 2015

I was inpatient for kidney surgery last week and it was just my luck that my roommate had nonstop visitors all day and half the night. Yap, yap, yap, most of it in Tagalog, and it never stopped until I finally asked the nurse for earplugs so I could sleep. I think that was when Roomie got the hint that I needed rest and asked her visitors to leave. I hope I never have to go through that again!

Sorry to hear that! UGH! This is exactly what I meant too! Hope it never happens again. When I was hospitalized, I was lucky enough to have a private room. Not sure if all the rooms were private or not. I never asked or looked. It was my first time there as an inpatient and I have never been staff there before.

NursesRmofun, ASN, RN · Jun 17, 2015

Our Med Surg floors have no limits on visiting hours. Most people visit in the daytime. A few will stay overnight like a spouse with the patient. We only ask anyone to leave if they are disruptive to the patient or other patients.

Sounds reasonable. Thanks for the reply.

NursesRmofun, ASN, RN · Jun 17, 2015

We have general visitation from 10-10 in our unit and the other ICUs , parents have 24 hour visitation. The whole hospital is general visitation from 8-10, they can have one designated person stay 24 hours but has to be run by the unit managers.
If the selected person is a problem, can ask them to leave. You can also still have general visitation hours.
This is from Joint Commission:
EP 28
EP 29
The hospital allows a family member, friend, or other individual to be present with the patient foremotional support during the course of stay.
Note: The hospital allows for the presence of a support individual of the patient's choice, unless theindividual's presence infringes on others' rights, safety, or is medically or therapeuticallycontraindicated. The individual may or may not be the patient's surrogate decision-maker or legallyauthorized representative. (For more information on surrogate or family involvement in patient care,treatment and services, refer to RI.01.02.01 EPs 6-8.)

Thanks. I did look at the copy of the JC page briefly earlier today. The wording in the Joint Commission summary is good. I can deal with that.

allnurses Guide · Jun 17, 2015

At the LTC where I work we have very liberal visiting policies - 24/7 chlidren and pets welcome but thats LTC for you,

flipflopsNsweetTea · Jun 17, 2015

No visiting hours at my hospital. I work nights, so after about 9pm most visitors have left anyway. And a lot of patients will have a family member spend the night. We don't have an age restriction, but kids under 12 aren't allowed in contact rooms. All that being said, we had one pt whose girlfriend would drop his 10-yr old son off at the hospital at night so he could spend the night with his dad. Kid slept in the hospital bed with daddy and everything. I was scared that that man was going to code one night...he wasn't a healthy guy...director said it was okay... :cautious:

We have a pet visiting policy, too.