Visiting Hour Guidelines?

[RNforLongTime]

Our ICU has no visiting hour policy. We recently made up a draft using ideas from the other two hospitals in our area and our unit needs. The medical director approved what we came up with. We then forwarded it to the Director of Patient Care nurse. Found out this week from our manager that the DON vetoed our visiting hour policy. Didn't give a reason, just said that she would not approve it!!!!:angryfire

Now what! Visiting hours is a free-for-all in our ICU. We have to adhere to the general hospital visiting hours which are 10am-8pm. Which, personally is too much. All the nurses in the unit would like some sort of restricted visiting time, 10a-12p, 2p-4p and 6p-8p. That's what was put in our visiting hours policy that was turned down by the DON. Since the DON didn't say what she didn't like about what our policy draft said, we have no direction. She didn't even tell our unit manager what she didn't like about it.

Yet another reason why I want out of that place asap!

[pebbles, BSN, RN]

IMO, you should talk to your manager, and provide rationales for the restrictions you want. Rationales that are about the pt only.

For example, we don't allow visitors during change of shift report because of confidentiality. For the same reason, we ask visitors to step out of the unit when the "Rounds" discussion is about that pt or the pt's next to him. We also ask visitors to not disturb the pt if he is really sick and not getting enough sleep. No visitors during baths and procedures.

It adds up, and although we have 24-hour visiting, we have enough time without the families in our faces that we are able to do our jobs. I think the bits about asking visitors to leave for this or that are not "official" policy in our ICU (I'll have to check), but because it's been done for so long and by the previous managers, etc - our manager supports it.

Asking them to leave can work (no matter what is in your policy) as long as your manager supports you on it. If your manager doesn't.... that's a tough situation. You have my sympathy for having to deal with the families on top of you as you try to do your job. I've heard of places like that in my city, and the nurses hate it!